True Beauty Fake Love
by DracoMalfoysSweetGirl92
Summary: Christi's fourth year is avoiding Draco. Caprice's sixth year is a mix of studying hard and mischief with the twins. Neither of them see it coming, but then it happens. Draco/OC Fred or George/OC Slightly AU Co-written with Ronnie T.C.
1. Chapter 1

It had already started to rain once they got to the Platform. Each girl held a black umbrella in one hand and controlled their luggage trolleys in the other hand. A woman named Ambria-Jane followed behind them, holding a large, Mary Poppins-esque bag in her right hand.

"Capricia, Christina," she called, "Would you wait for me?"

"Sorry, Ambria-Jane." the older one, Capricia, said in her Scottish accent. Of course, she liked to be called Capri, or Caprice.

"Your mother told me to look after the two of you."

"Of course she did," Christina said, "You're our nanny."

"Mrs. Venizelos wouldn't be very happy with me if I lost you." Ambria-Jane rambled on.

Caprice interjected, "We're getting onto the train anyways."

Ambria-Jane gave Caprice a chastising look, "Capricia."

Caprice shrugged and looked for any of her friends. She and her sister were very close; however, they were in different years and different Houses. They didn't hang out much at school or even on the train. Caprice was a sixth year Gryffindor while her sister was a fourth year Slytherin. Anyone would have guessed from their names that they were twins, but their looks would have deceived that.

Christi took much after their mother with beautiful Italian features. She had an olive skin tone. She looked like a very typical Italian woman, aside from her bright green eyes and straight, light brown hair. Her facial features were delicately sculpted and beautiful. She had plump lips and a very curvy body. Anyone who saw her would guess she was definitely a full Italian woman.

They'd be wrong.

Caprice much like their Greek father. Her eyes were prominent, almond-shaped and had a slight oriental cut to them. Her face was pointed beautifully and proportioned well. She was short, but still taller that Christi-for now. She was tanner than Christi, but didn't have so much of the olive tint to her skin. She was skinny in most places except her chest, and was lean from athletics. Some could say she was goddess-like.

Their attitudes were very different as well.

While they were both loud, Christi was much more Italian. She was visually colorful, verbally colorful and definitely had a temper. She was artistic, very vocal, and very generous and welcoming. However, she could at times be obnoxious, exaggerated, pretentious, and superficial. She was artistic, vocal.

Caprice was generally a loving, passionate girl. She was very carefree, which got her into trouble often. She was unorganized, stubborn and had a great pride. She could be egotistical but was very respectful to others at the same time. Caprice was sporty and very fit. She was mocked for playing Muggle sports.

They definitely didn't take their powers for granted. Magical powers? No, they took those for granted all the time. They take their extra powers for granted. Their Veela powers.

Yes, these girls were Veela. On both their maternal and paternal sides as well. Their mother had one half Veela, and their father had one half Veela. This made them one half Veela, one half human. Both parents came from pureblood families (and Veelas). They were cultural (Greek and Italian), magical Veelas.

This made it difficult for them to have friendships with males. The entire males saw was their beauty and sexual appeal. Males were attracted to them in a lustful way. Luckily, if one of their friendships was true, the Veela part of the girls would be masked to the guy's eyes. They didn't have the same affect on girls, luckily, but girls got jealous of all the male attention a Caprice of Christi would get. They both had true friends though.

"Caprice!" they heard. Alicia Spinnet, a Gryffindor in the same year as Caprice, was rushing over to her. Caprice shared a dormitory with Alicia and also with Patricia Stimpson and Angelina Johnson. They were all some of Caprice's true friends, along with Fred, George and Lee Jordan. They were good enough friends with Caprice to see through her Veela part.

"Hey, Alicia. You know my sister, and Ambria-Jane."

"Hello, it's nice to see you." Alicia smiled, "C'mon, Caprice. We have a good compartment already!"

"Alright, I'll be right there," she turned to Christi and Ambria-Jane, "Alright, Ambria-Jane. Love you; I'll see you over the winter holidays."

"Goodbye, child. Remember, it's your responsibility to look after Christina."

"Well it's hard when she's in Slytherin." Caprice muttered loudly.

"Capricia!" Ambria-Jane reprimanded.

"Sorry, sorry," she shrugged, picking up her trunk, "I'll look after her the best I can. Goodbye!"

As she walked to the entrance of the train, two boys showed up on either side of her and put their arms around her shoulders. "Need help with those?" one of them asked.

"Thank you, Fred." Caprice smiled at him, "Thank you very much."

"Oy!" he grunted once discovering its full weight, "What's in here? Dead bodies?"

Caprice shrugged, "Could be."

"She's doing to make an army of Inferi with them, I suspect." George said.

"Could be. Have you turned into a Dark wizard?"

"Technically, dear-mistaken-Brother, she would be a Dark witch."

Caprice laughed at the two's usual banters. They walked onto the train and the boys led her to the compartment Alicia was talking about. It was in the near back and one of the widest compartments. Alicia, Angelina, Patricia and Lee Jordan were already in there. They-including Caprice and the twins-all made up the most looked up to group of sixth year Gryffindor students.

"Hello, love!" Angelina greeted Caprice happily.

"Watch out for her, everyone. She's turned Dark." Fred said, placing her trunk on the rack above them.

Patricia stood up and took Caprice's shoulders, "What's gotten into you?" she shouted, shaking her, "Come back to the good side, Caprice! Come back!"

Caprice laughed and smoothed her long, black, spiraled hair. "He's joking. He thinks I have a dead body in my suitcase and I'm gonna make an Inferi out of it."

"Do you?" Lee Jordan asked.

"No! Of course not!" she exclaimed, seating herself next to Angelina.

"So, since Wood isn't here anymore," Angelina turned to Caprice, "And I am Captain, I'm selecting you as Keeper."

Caprice squealed, "Thank you so much, Angelina!"

"You aren't taking too many classes this year, are you?" she asked.

"I'm not sure."

"Haven't you opened your OWL results?" Fred asked. Caprice shook her head and pulled the folded envelope from her back pocket of her Muggle jeans. It looked like it had gone through a lot of wear. It had creases from Caprice folding it all over. It looked like it had been crumpled, and one side, at the top, it had a small slit as if Caprice ripped it to open it, but stopped.

"I haven't gotten the courage."

"Well, we'll do it for you." George offered.

"Yeah, Capri. You have to open them sometime." Patricia said.

"I know, I know… I'm just worried." she said, biting her lip, "What if I didn't get good grades on the things I was supposed to?"

"Like what?"

"I'm supposed to be a Healer when I get out of Hogwarts is what my dad said. So what if I didn't get an O on Potions like Snape requires? What is I didn't get at least an E on Herbology like Sprout requires? What if I didn't get an E in Transfiguration like McGonagall requires? What if-" she was cut off by Fred's hand covering her mouth.

"Hush, m'dear. You probably got O's on everything and the professors will think you're too smart to even be in school, and they'll send you off to Healer training straight away." Caprice sighed through her nose aggregately and Fred removed his hand, "Open them."

She shrugged and tore them open, her eyes sealed closed. She held the paper up, unfolded it and still had her eyes shut.

"Open your bloody eyes." Alicia said, looking at the grades over her shoulder, "You got good grades!"

Caprice opened her eyes and gasped, "Oh my gosh! I did!" she squealed, "I got O's in all the things I was supposed to!"

"What about the other things?" Lee Jordan asked.

"Well first, what other things are there?" Angelina inquired.

"Well as you know, the classes I had in third year-Charms, Potions, Transfiguration, Defense, Herbology, Astrology, History of Magic, Arithmancy and Care of Magical Creatures-I have stuck with them all throughout the two years since third year. I took all my OWLS on all of them last year, and felt terrible about every single one."

"Yes, I remember you wailing about it." George teased.

Caprice ignored him, "Well, I got O's on the required things for Healing-"

"Which ones are those again?" Patricia asked, yawning.

"Potions, Charms, Herbology, Transfiguration and Defense. Well, I got at least an Excellent on all of them, Excellent in Care of Magical Creatures-"

"Of course. Hagrid is a softie." Angelina pointed out.

"-And in Arithmancy because I rock at mathematics. In Astrology I got a Terrible because I have vision problems, and in History of Magic I got a Poor because it was about things in Britain, and I don't care for History of Magic in Britain."

Alicia laughed, "Isn't funny how she makes up excused for her bad performances in Astrology and History of Magic."

"I have vision problems, and I just got them fixed this summer." she said stubbornly, sticking to her story no matter what.

"Well what classes are you deciding to take?" Patricia asked.

"The mandatory ones, of course. Maybe Arithmancy."

"The less classes you take, the more free periods you have each day." Fred pointed out.

"What did you get, Fred?" Caprice asked, suddenly curious.

"We only got OWLS that counted in three subjects. Herbology, Charms and Care of Magical Creatures." George said.

"Well, I think you should discuss with McGonagall to take more classes like on the ones you didn't pass." Caprice suggested.

They shrugged, "We like the idea of so many free periods."

"I don't think she'll even allow you to have only three classes a day!"

"Well we can do the Apparition class too." he said.

"That's not even every day," Patricia pointed out.

Caprice shrugged at them, "If that's what you want. I just think it would be better for you to take at least four classes a day. Maybe five."

"Oh, alright, we'll ask." Fred groaned.

George nodded, "But we're only taking the easy ones. You know, but no Potions."

"I didn't expect it." Caprice laughed.

"Besides," Lee Jordan said, "Snape would rather die than have you two back in his class."

"Snape would rather go to Azkaban than have them back." Angelina said.

"So who do you think's gonna be the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher this year?" Alicia asked.

"I don't know… Lupin was the best though." Angelina sighed. They all agreed.

"I heard an Auror is gonna be teaching us." Patricia said, "That's what my dad said, anyway."

They all shrugged and Caprice said, "I just hope he teaches us as good as Lupin."

XXX

However, in the Slytherin compartments things weren't so friendly.

"Back off, Malfoy!" Christi hissed.

"I'm not doing anything." Draco smirked.

"You are. You're hitting on me." Christi accused. It was true. He was flirting with her, calling her 'love'. He was making her boil.

"Well I'm not doing anything wrong." he shrugged.

"You are," Christi disagreed, "You're hitting on me!"

"That's wrong?"

She nodded, "Absolutely!" Sometimes she hated being part-Veela. She really liked Draco Malfoy. She had since their second year when they got paired together in Transfiguration and he made their teacup a bunny, then gave it to her. Of course, McGonagall wouldn't let her walk out of the classroom with what was supposed to be a teacup, so she couldn't keep it.

At any rate, she had a gigantic crush on Draco Malfoy, but he only liked her because of what she was. She knew he wouldn't even notice her if she wasn't part-Veela. Caprice-who was the only one who knew about her crush-disagreed. Caprice said that Christi was a very noticeable, very beautiful young lady. Christi had then said she sounded like their mother.

So that was two things Caprice knew that Christi's friends didn't. Christi hadn't told her friends she was a Veela either. She was pretty sure Caprice hadn't either. Friends didn't know, only family. However, Christi guessed if word got out that either one of them was Veela, anyone with enough common sense would know the other sister was also.

"Leave me alone, Malfoy!" Christi hissed, walking into the compartment containing her friends, and slid the door shut in his face. He peaked in through the blinds, and she lowered them swiftly and sat next to Millicent Bulstrode. Across from Christi sat Pansy Parkinson. Pansy sat between Daphne Greengrass and Tracey Davis.

"You know, I would definitely _die_ to go out with Draco." Pansy drawled, her pug-like face scrunched up.

"Well, I have my reasons." Christi huffed.

"Like what?" Daphne, a sweet, harmless girl from Ireland, asked, fiddling with her long black hair that contrasted against her ashen skin.

Christi contemplated telling them. She wanted someone besides Caprice to know about her secrets. Of course, not the Veela secret. She didn't wanna tell anybody about that in fear of what they might do.

Christi shrugged and let it out, "I have a huge crush on him."

"Since when?" Millicent, in all her large, scary bulkiness, asked, alarmed.

"Since second year," she said, "When he played his game on me in class." She told them about the rabbit and they all thought it was cute.

"Aww, how sweet!" Tracey, a blonde haired doe-eyed witch with an attitude, wailed, "Why don't you just go out with him?"

"Well, he's so concerned about blood status. I don't want anything to do with someone so conceited about that kind of stuff." Christi lied expertly. She had been saving that one.

"Well you're pureblood. It wouldn't matter!" Pansy pointed out.

Christi shook her head, "But what about friends I have who aren't pureblood? What if our future I have muggle-born friends whom he dislikes? What if he doesn't allow me to see anyone who isn't of good blood?"

"He wouldn't do that." Pansy denied it.

"Wouldn't he?" Christi raised her eyebrows, "What with his father, how… Dark they are, I'm surprised he talks to half the people in our school."

"People can change."

Christi shook her head, "Well what about how vain he is? I couldn't live with him!"

Pansy repeated, "People change!"

"I don't know. Like I said, his family is pretty Dark. I don't think I would like to marry into that."

Pansy argued with that, too, "You don't know they're Dark. It's just an opinion!"

Christi shrugged, "And they don't seem nice."

They couldn't argue with that, not even Pansy.

**Thank you so much for reading! Now, let it be said that all characters in this story (this chapter, at least) are original characters except for Capricia Venizelos, Christina Venizelos and Ambria-Jane. Yes, even Patricia Stimpson (George mentions she had a breakdown in their OWL year), Daphne Greengrass (real sister of Astoria Greengrass-future wife of Draco), and Tracey Davis (her name was on the classlist draft JK Rowling showed on a **_**Harry Potter and Me**_** interview, but she was never actually written about).**

**Let it be known that Christina is Latin, meaning 'believer'.**

**Capricia is Italian, and means 'impulsive; ruled by whim'.**


	2. REVISED Chapter 2

_**A/N: THIS IS A REVISED CHAPTER!**_

* * *

><p>Caprice smiles as she laughed with her friends. They were about to start the Feast in the Great Hall now.<p>

"So how was your summer?"

"Long and boring. Just spent it at home with Christi." She shrugged, "We did go to Dublin for a visit to a friend, and then we went to Greece for about two days."

"Sounds exciting."

"Not really. My family's terrible. And all Christi wanted to talk about Malfoy this… Malfoy that. It got annoying after a while."

"Wait your sister likes Malfoy! She actually likes him!" Angelina says shocked.

"I didn't say that." Caprice smiled, knowing not to give away such a big part of Christi's personal life.

"But didn't you just say all she did was talk about him all summer?"

"Yes, but not what about. You just assumed." She smirks.

"Alright so what had your sister talking about him all summer?"

"About how much he annoys the her."

"Who doesn't he annoy?" Patricia asks, clearly disgusted.

Over at the Slytherin table, Daphne was asking, "How was your summer?"

"Boring. Like always." Christi shrugged.

Dumbledore stands to get attention.

"Good evening everyone and welcome back to a new school year and welcome incoming first years! This year is a very special year! Not only will we be housing all of you but as well as two other schools this year as we are hosting the Triwizard Tournament this year!" he says.

Dumbledore starts explaining the rules saying that anyone seventeen and older can join the tournament.

Caprice and all her friends get excited as she can join the tournament as she was seventeen and just turned seventeen in August.

"So your sister can join. Do you think she is?" Pansy asks.

"Maybe. I don't know. She might just to get our parents to come out to support her as they're always really busy." Christi says.

She sits there worried for the rest of the day evening for her sister not wanting her to get hurt if she enters this contest.

"Sitting there fantasizing over me Love?" comes a voice. It pulled Christi from her thoughts.

"Go away Malfoy and no I wasn't fantasizing over you and I never will." She says. She was lying about the last part as she had a few times. Just imagining what it would be like to snog him but she would never tell him that. It would just add to his ego.

"I'd say you were." He says, sitting himself between her and Millicent.

"Shove off Malfoy and go and sit with your two goons."

The feast ends a little later and everyone heads out. Christi runs up to her sister and stops her.

"Hey are you thinking about entering?" Christi asks her sister.

"Yea it seems pretty cool and going into history books. But don't worry there's a slim chance I'll get picked." She says.

"Yea I know but I'm still gonna worry your my sister after all."

The two part ways and Christi gets to her room that she shares with Pansy, Daphne, Millicent and Tracey.

"Hey look at your bed." Pansy says. Christi looks at her bed and sees a white bunny sitting in a cage with a card. She grabs the card and she reads it.

"_Here's a bunny for you as I know you love them. I hope you like him.  
>Love, Your secret admirer"<em> She reads it aloud. She smiles and she opens the cage and takes the bunny out. "He's so soft! What should I name him? He has blue eyes." Christi says sitting on her bed putting the bunny in her lap and scratching him.

"How about _Draco_." Pansy teased.

Christi scowled at her and says, "How do you know Malfoy sent it?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Millicent asks, "He's the only one who knew your love of rabbits besides us."

"And my sister. She could have sent it."

"It had to be Malfoy. He's the only one who could have gotten in here without alerting any of the professors and Dumbledore. Besides its sweet. He's making an effort." Daphne coos.

"He doesn't have one good bone in his body and if he does it's so incredibly small like the stirrup bone in the ear!" Christi says still trying to think of a name for her bunny.

"What about Sapphire? For his bright blue eyes?" Tracey suggests.

"Hey I like that!" Christi says.

XXX

Walking into their room, Caprice, Angelina, Alicia and Patricia walk in and see all their stuff by their beds. It was after the feast and in their dormitories.

"I can't believe that there's no Quidditch this year!" Angelina complains.

"There's always next year." Caprice sighs. She was just as upset, but she didn't show her emotions on petty things like this. "Plus it's the Tournament. And I can enter my name… Angelina, you can, and Patricia… In three weeks you can!"

"Not a good chance we'll get picked though." Angeline grumbles.

"So what's going on with you and the Weasley boys?" Alicia asks Caprice.

"Nothing, what do you mean?"

"You were flirting with them both like crazy at dinner." Patricia says.

"No I wasn't! It was just playful banter with them!" she says.

"Sure. Do you fancy either of them?" Alicia asks.

"Of course not! They're just my best friends, for Merlin's sakes!"

"Sure, which one is it that you fancy?" Patricia asks.

"NEITHER ONE!" she snaps.

"Oh come on. Both are good looking and have different quirks about them. If you ask me I think you like George." Angelina declares.

"I don't fancy either one of them! They've been my best friends since first year like you guys!"

"But now they're something more!" Alicia smirks.

"Ugh! I'm going downstairs." Caprice says, standing up.

"To see George, no doubt!" Angelina teased. She heads down into the common room and sees Fred down there.

"Hey, Caprice." he greets her, "Come here and see this. George and I are working one something to get into the Tournament."

"You are too young." Caprice reprimanded.

"That's why we're creating an Aging Potion to trick the Age Line Dumbledore's gonna draw."

Caprice laughed and says, "How delinquent!"

They sit there and start talking and joking around with each other. They head off to bed a few hours later and Caprice lies there in bed thinking about her feelings for both of the twins. Lately she had been gaining feelings for Fred more and George she just saw him as a brother but she had been gaining feelings for Fred.

XXX

The next morning, Caprice was sitting at the table, picking at her breakfast absentmindedly and slightly frazzled. Christi comes over and sits next to her.

"So I have a huge problem and I need your help." Christi says as she made herself a plate then adds, "You help me with my problem I'll help you with yours. Deal? Like old times?"

"I don't have a problem." Caprice lied, "But I'll help. Sure."

"Sure you don't, but whatever. Okay last night when I got back to my dorm there was a bunny in a cage sitting on my bed. Only you, Pansy, Daphne, Millicent and Tracey know about my love for rabbits. There was this note attached to the cage." She says handing her the note then continues, "According to them Malfoy sent it to me. Just tell me did you send it? Because if Malfoy sent it I'm giving it back no matter how cute and soft he is. I mean if this is some sick joke from him just to get me into bed I don't want it. What should I do? I mean I really like him but ugh! I'm so confused!"

"Firstly, you're fourteen. No one's going to bed you at this age. Promise me, if it wasn't happening for me, it's not happening for you. And second… I'm no handwriting expert." Caprice says after reading the note.

"But?" Christi encouraged.

"But nothing. I'm no handwriting expert, so I can't determine who sent this. It wasn't me; you don't know who it was. Just keep it. It's a bunny."

"You bet I'm keeping that bunny. He's so cute!"

"So what's your first class?" Caprice asks.

"Transfiguration. You?"

"Double Potions. I love starting my Mondays off with a good dose of grease."

"Damn two hours with Snape. So early. I have Double Potions tomorrow afternoon after lunch."

"Fun. Just don't fall asleep like last year."

"Not my fault! He just drones on aimlessly and I'm pretty sure if I get paired with Malfoy he'll make sure I stay awake. He really needs to leave me alone. I am getting close to hexing his nads off or that _thing_ will happen and we definitely don't want that or secrets out! So what is your problem? I can tell you have one."

"I think I'm falling in love with Fred." She mutters.

"NO WAY! Pansy owes me five galleons!" Christi giggles.

"NOT FUNNY!"

"Oh, come on. Fred is the perfect guy for you! He likes the real you!" Christi says, having some of the bacon she placed on her plate.

"That's Gryffindor bacon." Caprice teased, but continued, "He's friends with the real me. He doesn't like me like that… I can't believe you bet on my love life."

"Bacon is bacon and I have a source in Gryffindor who will not be named who says he likes you likes you. So what." Christi says smiling drinking some orange juice.

"The-Source-Who-Will-Not-Be-Named? Sounds like He-Who-Mustn't-Be-Named… The Dark Lord."

"I can't believe you call him that."

"What's the point? He's vanquished now. Completely gone."

"I don't know. Something tells me the complete opposite. But I promised not to name my source. Now just and flirt it up with Fred. Now I have to go and find Pansy and get my five galleons oh and get my three galleons from R… my source!" she says getting up and gathering her stuff before grabbing a few pieces of toast and bacon.

Caprice mulled the 'R' over for a few minutes, then exclaims, "Ron!"

"I never says Ron!" Christi yells as Caprice ran off to go and find Ron.

Christi stuff her food in her mouth and runs off to find Ron before her sister does.

Finding Ron heading toward Divination with Harry and Hermione she grabs him.

"Ron!" she yells running up to trio.

"What?" he asks.

"She figured out you're my source! Caprice found out! Avoid her at all costs!"

"Ronald!" Caprice says coming up.

"Crap." Christi mutters.

"What's up?" he asks.

"Is it true of what you told Christi? That Fred likes me likes me?" she asks.

"I swore I wouldn't tell." He says.

Fred had only given him permission to tell his closest friends and that was Harry, Hermione and Christi. The four of them had become close friends despite Christi being a Slytherin.

Caprice shrugged, "Well that means yes. Thank you very much, both of you." she says with a satisfied smirk. As she walked away though, they saw her stop. "Damn it!"

"What?" Christi asks.

"NOTHING!" Caprice snaps then continues walking.

Christi stood there shocked at her sister snapping at her.

"Hey I gotta go to Transfiguration. I'll see you guys later a lunch." Christi says heading to Transfiguration. Getting there she goes over to the bulletin board to see who her partner was for the class. She goes down the list and she hopes that she has one of her roommates as a partner.

_Christina S. Venizelos and Draco L. Malfoy_

"No!" she groans leaning her head against the bulletin board. She looks up and sees McGonagall walking into the room in her animagus form of a tabby cat. She waits for her to change then looks at her. "Professor can I ask you something please?"

"Go ahead Miss. Venizelos."

"Is it possible for me to have a different partner for class? I mean I see enough of Malfoy during the day and Professor Snape always pairs us together for Potions and he's always annoying me. Can I have Pansy as a partner? Her and I work better together and I can help her in class with the spells. And not to mention he's really getting on my nerves since the train ride here and I already want to hex him."

"I'm sorry Miss. Venizelos but I can't switch your partner if I did it for you I would have to do it for everyone."

Christi sighs defeated.

"Okay Professor." She sighs going and taking a seat.

Everyone files and looks at the list for their partners and then they all go take their seats and Draco goes and sits next to her.

"Hello Love." He says.

"Shut up." She growls.

"You know we could be one of the hottest couples in school." He says.

"Mr. Malfoy, enough chatting and pay attention!" McGonagall reprimands.

"And also I have a boyfriend back in Renfrewshire." Christi whispers, "He'd beat the snot out of you if he just happens to find out that you're hitting on me repeatedly after me telling you to stop." She lies through her teeth hoping her would back off.

"Pure-blood?"

"Muggle and he plays futball and he's a lot bigger than you. He can and will mess up your face if you keep hitting on me." She lies again.

She was technically lying. She has a muggle guy friend who did play futball. They just weren't dating. But no one had to know that. She would do anything to keep her crush off her back. After thinking that, Christi thought it sounded very ridiculous. But she understood even if no one else did.


	3. Chapter 3

Class ends and they all head out.

"So what's his name?" he asks following her to her History of Magic class.

"Dante Russo."

"Does he know you're magic?"

"Yes, he was there when I got my letter. At the time we were friends. Well more like brother and sister." She said which was true. They did have a brother sister relationship and he was there when she got her letter from Hogwarts and he found out and promised to keep a secret. The Ministry had found out but they swore he could keep it a secret and they agreed to let it slide.

"How long have you been dating?"

"Since the summer before third year started."

"How do you two handle being apart all school year?"

"We owl each other when we can and when we go home for the holidays we see each other."

He continues questioning her until she gets to her class.

"Look Malfoy leave me alone and back off of me or I will tell him about this and he will beat the snot out of you the next time you come over with your father when he meets with my father for business." She smirks then strides into her class and sits next to Hermione when she spots her.

"Hey. How's it going with Malfoy hitting on you?"

"I kinda told him a major lie about me having a boyfriend. But hey if it gets him to leave me alone then so be it."

After class, Christi walks to lunch and spots Caprice in the Entrance Hall. She runs over and Caprice smiled.

"You love being with me, eh?"

"Shut up."

"So how'd you get Malfoy off your back? Rumor has it you told him off."

"Well I kinda told him that Dante and I are dating." She says smiling sheepishly.

"Didn't Dante move to Glasgow?"

"Well it's only about thirty minutes away from our house." Christi pointed out, "We still saw each other all the time over the summer. So how's your Fred issue?"

"Avoidance is the answer... Remember that, Christi. I just taught you a life lesson."

Christi heads in for lunch with her sister and they go and sit with their own friends.

As they were eating Fred walks in and goes right over to Caprice and gently grasps her elbow and lifts her up and snogs her senseless as Ron had told him she found out that he likes her likes her. She pulls back and practically runs out.

Christi sighs and goes after her sister. "Capricia Noelle stop!" Christi shouts.

She stops and looks at her sister. "What!" she snaps.

"What that about! He snogged you! He clearly really likes you if he snogged you!"

"He only likes me because of being half Veela!"

"He likes you for you not because of that! It's the same thing you told me about Draco! So let's make a deal. If you give it a chance with Fred I'll give it a chance with Draco."

"Fine, but I'm giving you till before the winter break to give Draco a chance."

"But the thinks I'm dating Dante!"

"If Malfoy asks about it, say 'Dante who?'." Caprice said then walked away.

XXX

Walking into Defense, Caprice sees the Fred and George and she goes right over to all her roommates and she smiles.

"So how's the problem?" Alicia asks.

"I made a deal with my sister. If she gives the guy she's crushing on a chance I'll give Fred a chance but I only gave her till before Hallowe'en which should be good."

"But rumor has it she's dating someone."

"Lie. She just told Malfoy that to get him off her back." She said.

"She's a true Slytherin if she did that." Alicia said giggling.

Patricia and Angelina burst out laughing hysterically at that until Moody comes in.

"Alright the whole lot of you shut your traps!" he snaps.

Everyone quiets down and starts the class.

"Now lets get started on the first lesson. Inferi. What are they, how do you handle them?"

She sits back and breathes a sigh of relief.

"Fredrick Weasley what are Inferi?" Moody barks.

"They are dead people brought to life by Dark wizards. The living dead person is like the Wizard's obedient slave. If there's enough of them, they can be an army. U-No-Poo tried or succeeded in doing that during the First Wizarding War." Fred said.

"U-No-Poo? You think it's funny?"

"I do, sir. Plus, it's not as if he's coming back."

"You don't know that!" he shouted. They were all taken aback by this. Moody _was_ crazy!

Caprice barely held in a laugh and he looks at her.

"Don't encourage that! Detention for Miss. Venizelos and Mr. Weasley and ten points from Gryffindor from each of you."

She glares at Fred then turns back to her class work that was just assigned.

The class ends and Fred runs up to Caprice in the hallway.

"Hey what's with the glare back in the class and why are you so ticked about the detention? We used to have blast getting detentions together and you wouldn't care about it either."

Caprice laughed and said, "Well it's the first day, and I don't really get detentions on the first day."

"Your parents don't care." he was right. They probably wouldn't even hear about this.

"Probably but still. I don't get detentions on the first day of classes."

"And besides Mad Eye Moody is just that. Mad!"

She rolls her eyes and walks away.

Fred chases after her pushing through the crowded hallway and he grabs her.

"Hey, I was wondering if there was any chance of us getting together? You know like a couple?" he asks going a light shade of pink in his face and neck making her smile.

"Yea, sure." She tells him.

He smiles and pulls her to him and snogs her softly.

"Well now, I am going to walk you to you Herbology as I have free period right now."

She smiles and take his arm as he takes her books from her and carries them for her.

As they walk through the hall Angelina and Alicia see them.

"FINALLY!" Angelina exclaimed to Alicia.

Arriving in the greenhouses Christi was just walking out with Draco not too far behind.

Caprice smirks sees her sister and wraps her arms around Fred's neck and snogs him making Christi stops dead in her tracks.

"Despicable! A pure-blood with a blood-traitor. Sad really." Draco said making Christi snort.

She whips around and growls at Draco, "THAT'S MY SISTER YOU TWIT! SHOVE OFF!"

"Christi," Caprice said, "I know he's a prick and all, but it's part of the deal!"

"Bloody hell. And I have a plan going. I swear if this ends badly you're to blame!" Christi tells her sister.

"You blame me for everything anyway!"

"You do the same so we're even." Christi said as she walked away.

She finds Harry, Ron and Hermione coming from Care for Magical Creatures.

"Harry, Ron, Hermione wait up!" Christi yells chasing after them. She was gonna see if they could give her advice on the Dante situation.

"Yea?" they asks stopping.

"Look I have a huge problem and I need your guys help. I'm also gonna rope my other friends into it but first I need one of you boys to help me in a major way and I will owe you big time."

"What is it?" Ron asks wryly.

Christi goes into the explanation of what's going on with her and Caprice leaving out the Veela part.

"So I need idea! Please help me please! I'm begging you!"

"Alright." They shrug.

"YAY! Thank you!" she said hugging them.

They laugh and hugs her back.

"We need to do it soon. Because Caprice got with Fred and I won't hear the end of it until I hold up my end of the deal." She says.

"Bloody hell." Ron moaned, "Now I'll never hear about anything but Caprice from him!"

"Same here but it will be Fred for me."

"I think it would be better just to tell him that he broke up with you through a letter." Hermione said.

"That could work. Merlin she had to jump into agreement so bloody fast." She groans.

The day eventually ends and Christi heads back to the common room and she spots Draco in there.

"Hey." He said.

"Hey." She sighs.

She was going to say that she and Dante "broke up" and she had to act all depressed.

"What's the matter?"

"Dante ended it through a letter." She says.

"Sounds like a prick." He says.

"yea." She said heading toward the girls dorms.

When she gets there she sees lilies sitting on her beside table.

"Whoa. Nobody but my family knows I like lilies." She says aloud as she was the only one in the room.

She smiles thinking to herself that just maybe Draco does like her.


	4. Chapter 4

On the thirtieth of October, the two other schools arrived. Caprice, Fred and George stood with the rest of the school in the cold Entrance Hall. The doors were wide open, letting in a bitter cold and the torches didn't help too much. Fred's arms were wrapped around Caprice in an attempt to keep her warm. Everyone knew they were dating now, only because news traveled fast. At first, George felt ousted. He felt like he was being ignored. But then everything got better.

Christi, on the other hand, was taking things slow with Draco. Only Caprice, Christi's friends and a few others knew. Draco wanted to take it public, but Christi wasn't so sure. She just wanted to take things step by step. She didn't want to jump into anything, and Caprice was proud of her for that. While guys weren't offering to jump into bed with girls at fourteen, Caprice still wanted Christi to not get her heart broken.

Finally, the Beauxbatons students arrive, pulling up in a horse drawn carriage. The Head of their school steps out, being welcomed pleasantly by Dumbledore. As all the girls and boys from Beauxbatons went into the castle, the Durmstrang ship came out of the water, amazing everyone.

Dumbledore welcomes Karkaroff. Caprice was incredibly bored and that point and thanked Merlin when they went inside to eat.

"So you'll be entering then?" Fred asked Caprice toward the end of dinner.

"Absolutely. I am seventeen."

"Yes, but it's dangerous. I'd rather you not enter."

Caprice scoffed, "Fred, it's a thousand galleons! I can win all that money!"

Dumbledore stands and gains everyone's attentions. "The Triwizard Tournament begins!" Then, a casket is brought in. Out of it, Dumbledore takes out a flaming goblet. "This is the Goblet of Fire! Put your names into its flames and it will pick out the champions."

He explained everything to them, but Caprice was already dreaming of holding up that trophy when she won.

She was snapped out of her thoughts by George, who was pulling her up. She noticed everyone getting up and she gave them a questioning look.

"The Feast is over." Fred said, smiling at her lovingly.

Caprice frowned, "Oh."

"What were you thinking of?" George asked as the three of them joined up with Alicia, Angelina, Patricia and Lee.

"Of Fred, no doubt." Lee teased.

Caprice shoved him and said, "Shut up, Lee. That's not it."

"What is it?" Alicia asked.

"You'll have to keep guessing." Caprice moved in front of them all and walked backwards, "But here's a hint." she phased into almost a different persona and said, "Thank you, everyone. Thank you very much… Oh, what am I going to do with these one thousand galleons? I'm not sure yet. I'm just glad to have won the-"

"Triwizard Tournament." Angelina finished, giggling, "How do you know you'll even get picked?"

"The Goblet picks those who are most equipped to. I am fit, I'm strong, I'm bold! I'm fast and sturdy and NOT FRAGILE, like Fred thinks I am."

"You are fragile." Fred argued.

"Am not," she said, sticking her tongue out.

"Careful or I might have to capture that tongue." he smirked.

Caprice continued, "And I'm smart and handy and I'm the perfect candidate! Don't you all think so?"

"I think you have yourself on a pedestal." Angelina said.

"I think I've got myself exactly right." Caprice argued.

"And she's thinking, 'Right, Fred?'" George teased.

"Am not. I don't need my boyfriend to reassure me on how amazing I am."

XXX

"Why can't we tell people?" Draco asked. He and Christi were in the Common Room, doing Defense homework. "It'll get out eventually!"

"I just want to take things slow."

"It's been about two months. That's not slow enough?"

"Look, I just want to make sure that…" Christi trailed off, thinking of what it was, "I don't know!"

"I really like you, Christi. Don't you see that? Nothing will ever get between us, I promise."

Christi shrugged, "I don't know…"

"Don't you want people to know about us? It's gonna get out to everybody some time if not now."

Christi looked him in the eye and said, "I'll tell you what… In two weeks. In two weeks we can go public. If you can wait that long, then we can go public."

"I've been able to wait this long." he said, "Why not longer?"

"I know you'll be able to wait two more weeks." she said, "Alright now… I'm gonna go up to bed. Umm… Firewhiskey!"

"Firewhiskey you too." he smiled. Firewhiskey was their equivalent to saying 'I love you'. Upon Caprice's suggestion, they made an alternate word to express their feelings. It turned out to be Firewhiskey.

Christi smiled and hurried up to her room.

XXX

The next day, Caprice was doodling her name on her strip of parchment for the Goblet. It was Halloween, and they didn't have any classes. She, her friends, the twins and Lee were sitting under a beech tree by the Black Lake. It wasn't cold like the previous night. It was warm, sunny. Surprising. They looked out at the lake and the large ship from Durmstrang sitting in it.

"How do you think it stays up?" Caprice heard George ask.

"Ships always stay up." Fred said, "They're ships. They just do."

"Something that big can't stay up."

"The _Titanic_ did." Patricia-the only Muggle-born of the group-said, "Well… It did sink, but that was because it hit an iceberg."

None of the others knew what she was talking about. Lee put in his own opinion, "It's magic, of course. Something that big can't stay up without magic."

"The Titanic is bigger." Patricia noted.

Fred looked at Caprice and went over to her. He sat next to her and kissed her cheek. She blushed and Fred asked, "What're you doing?"

"Nothing," she shrugged, "What're you doing?"

"The usual banter. I can't believe you're entering."

"You're trying and you aren't even of age!" Caprice argued, "You know what, I'm going to go put this in the Goblet right now."

She bounced up and Fred chased her into the Great Hall. Many students were there, merely looking at the glowing Goblet.

She crossed the Age Line and stuck out her tongue. "Ha! You can't get me when I'm here! You are too young!" she cackled. She threw her paper into the Goblet and Fred took her waist, pulling her towards him roughly. He placed his lips to hers and smirked, then murmured, "Still wanna get away?"

She pulled back and smiled cheekily, "Yes!"

Caught off guard, he released her and she bounded off toward the Black Lake. He chased after her and it became a game.

"You're wearing me out, Caprice!"

"C'mon, old man!" she taunted, "My Grandmum runs faster than you do!"

"You're older than me, you shouldn't be calling me an old man!"

"Eight months is barely a difference!"

"It's enough of one to make me underaged!" Fred finally caught up to her and captures her by the waist. "I got you!"

"No fair! I shouldn't be getting caught by someone younger than me!" she said, pouting childishly.

Fred chuckles and kissed her, "Big deal. Eight months."

"Don't kiss me. I'll be classified as a pedophile." she smiled. Caprice laughed and they walked off together. "There's a lot of controversy between us on whether eight months is a big thing or not."

"We need someone impartial." he suggested.

"Like my sister."

"She'll be on your side. She'll call you a pedophile then leave."

"She will not. Here, I won't tell her that I think it's a big deal and you don't. She'll be clueless as to which side she should be on." Caprice smiled and pointed out Christi and her Slytherin friends sitting near the Lake. "There she is, let's go."

They walked over and Christi looked at them. Their arms were around each others' waists and they were dangerously close. "You two make me sick."

"Hush, younger sister. Now, is eight months between us a big deal or no?"

"No." Christi answered.

"Ha!" Fred smiled, "In your face!"

Caprice shrugged, "Maybe I like being a pedophile."

Fred chuckled and suggested they go get lunch.

XXX

Caprice had left them for one second, and suddenly they were old men.

"Really, Fred and George?" Caprice asked when she saw them in the Hospital Wing.

According to what dozens of people kept telling her, Fred stepped over first and George had followed immediately. They had been hurled back and sprouted long beards.

Angelina and Alicia had gone to get Caprice first when she was over in the library, checking out a few books. Caprice stopped everything she was doing and ran off without her friends. On the way, she saw Ginny, who told her the same thing Angelina and Alicia had told her. Then she saw Hermione, Ron and Harry who told her the same story. Then she saw Christi, who was trying to find her and finally she saw Patricia and Lee Jordan. They were also trying to find her and were the ones to run to the Wing with her.

"Were you scared for us, love?" Fred asked as Madame Pomfrey treated him with a few spells.

"I was neither scared nor worried nor frightened nor am I angry or sad or disappointed. I actually find this highly amusing and incredibly delightful." she smiled, her eyes twinkling.

"That's a bit rude if I do say so myself." George said, looking incredibly pained.

"How many bones did they break, Madame Pomfrey?" Caprice asked.

"Several…" she said, "Too many. They'll be fixed up in no time at all though."

Caprice smiled at the two, "An Aging Potion? Who would have thought of that but you?" and then she looked around, "Well… Obviously Fawcett and Summers did. But the Best Beard Award goes to…" Caprice came in between both their beds and raised their arms, "Fred and George Weasley! Fawcett, you don't have anything on them! So Summers comes in a close second place! Woo!"

"I think Dumbledore wins." Fred groans.

"His _is_ quite impressive…" she mused, and then shrugged. "Get well soon, loves." Then she pranced off, cackling.

XXX

That night at the Hallowe'en feast, they were all in the Great Hall for the picking of the champions. Fred and George's beards were shaved and they seemed to be all fixed up. Caprice had greeted him with a 'get better snog' when he left the Hospital Wing. It was in front of almost the entire student body and McGonagall broke them up reprimanding. Christi herself had cat-called to them jokingly.

"Hope it's Angelina." Fred said when Hermione, Harry and Ron sat down. The feast was about to start.

"So do I." Hermione agreed, "Well, we'll soon know!"

"What about me?" Caprice asked.

"Can't have you getting hurt now can we?" he smiled, kissing her nose.

"But I can, Angelina, who sat across from them, asked in a fake offended voice.

"We'd be okay with having you be the champion too." Ron said, "But then Fred wouldn't end it with worrying."

"Oh, I'm stronger than him anyway." Caprice chuckled.

"Are not." Fred argued.

"Wanna bet?"

"Absolutely." he chuckled, but captured her lips in a pleasant kiss instead of arguing.

"You do are sickening." George said.

"Second time today!" Caprice laughed, "Why do we make everyone so sick?"

"They're only jealous, love."

The feast seemed to carry on and on. No one was very hungry anyways since they had had two feasts in a row. Actually, everyone was pretty much just very anxious to hear who the champions were. Finally, the plates were cleared completely. The noise level got suddenly louder, tehn died away completely as Dumbledore got to his feet.

"Well," he said, "The goblet is almost ready to make its decision. I estimate that is requires one more minute. Now, when the champions' names are called, I would ask them please to come up to the top of the Hall, walk along the staff table and go through into the next chamber"-he then motioned to a door behind the staff table- "where they will be receiving their first instructions."

He waved his wand once he was finished and all the candles, save for the ones inside of the Jack-o-Lantern, were extinguished. They were in a state of semidarkness and the blue-white shininess of the Goblet of Fire shone more brightly that anything. Everyone watched, anticipating who would be first.

"Any second…" Lee Jordan, on the other side of Caprice, whispered.

Suddenly, the goblet's flame turned a striking red. Sparks flew and then a tongue of flame shot out, producing a fluttering piece of parchment. Everyone gasped.

Dumbledore caught the piece and read, strongly and clearly, "The champion for Durmstrang will be Victor Krum."

Everyone applauded and Victor Krum rose from the Slytherin table. Caprice saw Christi clapping wildly, ready to fait as he passed her. Karkaroff boomed out, "Bravo, Victor! Knew you had it in you!"

One the clapping died down, the attention in the room turned back to the goblet. It flamed red again and spit another piece of parchment, which Dumbledore caught. He read, "The champion for Beauxbatons is Fleur Delacour!"

Everyone applauded again and Hermione said, "Oh, they look disappointed." She was pointing to the rest of the Beauxbatons students, all looking sad. Two girls were sobbing.

Once Fleur went into the chamber, everyone went quiet and looked to the goblet for the Hogwarts champion. It spit out a strip of parchment. Dumbledore caught it with two fingers and said, "The Hogwarts champion is… Caprice Venizelos!"

Caprice squealed and stood up, walking nervously to the chamber as everyone cheered. She saw Christi clapping excitedly, wooing her. The Gryffindor table clapped wildly. The noise disappeared when she went into the room with the other champions, awaiting her instructions eagerly.


	5. Chapter 5

"Two Gryffindor students competing!" George chuckled the day after in the library, "We're bound to win!"

Caprice was gathered with all her friends in the library and had recounted every word spoken in the other chamber last night.

"Can't we focus on the task?" Caprice asked impatiently, "It's designed to test our daring?"

"What the bloody hell is that supposed to mean?" Angelina asked.

Caprice shrugged, "But it's driving me insane!"

"Well, you've got twenty-four days to figure it out." Fred said.

"I know. Bloody hell. I need an insider. Someone who can get me all the facts of what's going on and everything." Caprice snorts.

"Come on Caprice it can't be that bad!" Christi says.

"Yes it is!" she whines.

"Well you're bound to figure it out. Who knows maybe one of the others will figure it out and they'll tell you. You definitely know Harry will tell you if he figures it out."

"How's he gonna figure it out? Look, Harry's the Boy Who Lived. Doesn't mean he's got future-seeing skills, or telepathy or superpowers or anything."

"Just saying! No need to get snappy there. Besides I need to get to class. Double Potions and if I'm late Snape will give me a never ending detention." Christi said gathering her belongings and heading to her Potions class.

"Well changing the subject I heard from Charlie in Romania!" Ron said as he had study hall at the moment.

"And?"

"They're getting four dragons. Bloody vicious from the sounds of it. They need to be transported somewhere. Where he didn't say."

Caprice growled, "This is hopeless!"

"It could be something." Fred said.

"Oh yea like what!" Caprice snaps.

"Who the bloody hell knows but it could be something!" Fred tells her.

Caprice just shrieks and leans back in her seat.

Walking into the Potions class Christi goes right over to her seat and grabs her quill and ink. Setting them on her desk she pulls out her parchment and Potions textbook.

"Hello love." She hears from beside her.

"Hey. Where have you been all day?"

"Family matters." He says.

She nods and settles in as Snape comes in and heads right up to the chalk board and starts writing down their lesson for the day.

"Bloody hell that's difficult." Christi mutters under her breath.

**§Weighing of the Wands§**

It was later that day and Caprice was in a fairly small classroom, speaking to Fleur. Victor was standing moodily in a corner. Harry hadn't arrived yet, so they couldn't begin the weighing of the wands, the photo shoot and the interviews.

"So how's Beauxbatons?" Caprice asked.

"Is fantasteec!" she said airily, "I do not want to brag about eet, but in ze wintertime, ze snow falls much more… So to say, uh, more _majestic_ zan eet does 'ere."

"Do you not like Hogwarts?"

"'Ogwarts ees like a… Well, a castle! Beauxbatons ees a palace!"

Caprice nodded and then Harry came in. Bagman pounced on him and began talking to him. Caprice and Fleur continued their conversation.

"So where do you leeve, Capreece?" Fleur asked, "Surely you are not from England?"

"My accent gave me away?" Caprice laughed. Fleur nodded and Caprice said, "I live in Scotland. But I visit my family in Greece a lot."

They continued to talk as Rita pulled Harry into a broom cupboard, questioned him and then Dumbledore and Mr. Ollivander came into the room. Harry and Rita came out, Harry looking thoroughly annoyed.

"May I introduce Mr. Ollivander!" Dumbledore said to the four champions. He sat down at his place at the judge's table. "He will be checking your wands to ensure that they are in good condition before the tournament."

"Mademoiselle Delacour," Mr. Ollivander addressed Fleur, "Could we have you first, please?" Fleur handed him her wand and he twirled it in his fingers, producing several gold sparks. "Yes… Nine and a half inches… Inflexible… rosewood… and containing, dear me…"

"An 'air from ze 'ead of a Veela." Fleur said, "One of my grandmuzzer's."

"Yes… Yes, I've never used Veela hair myself of course. I find that it makes temperamental wands… However, to each his own, and it this suits you…"

He ran his fingers along the length, checking for scratches or bumps. Then he muttered a spell, which made a bunch of flowers burst from the tip. "Very well, very well. It's in fine working order." he turned to Caprice, "Ms. Venizelos, you next."

Caprice walked over and smiled, handing her wand to him.

Mr. Ollivander smiled, "Ah, now this is one of mine, isn't it?"

"Yes, sir."

"Yes, I remember it well. Containing a single hair of a particularly fine mail unicorn. Must have been seventeen hands; nearly gored me with its horn after I plucked his tail. Twelve and a quarter inches… Ash… Pleasantly springy. It's in fine condition, you treat it regularly!"

"I polished it last night." Caprice smiled. Mr. Ollivander lastly sent a stream of silver smoke rings from it, and was satisfied.

"Mr. Krum, you next?"

The rest of the Weighing went on and after they took a few photos, they were allowed to go to dinner.

**£Week Later£**

"Caprice!" Harry calls rushing over to her in the courtyard.

"What's up Harry?" she asks.

"The first task. It's dragons!" he said.

"DRAGONS!" she cries.

He nods and leans back on his heels.

"Thanks Harry." She said.

"No problem." He said walking past the tree there and he hears.

"You know Potter, my father and I have a bet going on. I say you won't last ten minutes into the first task. My father says five."

"I don't care what you or your father think Malfoy." Harry growls as Draco jumps out of the tree and his little gang comes over.

They start taunting Harry just as Moody comes over and Christi walks out of the library and sees.

She rolls her eyes and goes over to them just as Moody transfigures Draco into a white ferret making her giggle and go over to the gathering crowd.

Everyone starts laughing as the transfigured Draco is put down Crabbe's pants making everyone laugh.

A moment later the transfigured Draco comes out the pant leg and then tries to scamper off but McGonagall transfigures him back.

He leaps up and goes to run off but Christi grabs his arm and looks at him.

"Go and apologize to Harry or I'll make you wait even longer to public and there's only a week left. I'll make it two more months." She smirks.

She enjoyed being able to hang that over his head in order to force him to be nice to Harry, Ron and Hermione.

He sighs and goes over to Harry and looks over at him.

"Sorry." Draco grunts.

"Whatever." Harry said and walked off.

Draco walks back over and he takes Christi's hand in his lacing their fingers together.

"Thank you. But can you please be nicer to them? They are my friends."

"Why?" he asks.

"Because this you. The you taunting them all the time isn't the real you. I know the real you and this isn't you."

"I forgot you could see right through that." He says.

"Of course." She giggles.

He smiles and kisses her cheek as they head over to Transfiguration the entire time Christi was gnawing on her lower lip silently. Draco trusted her enough that he let her see the real him. The one that didn't do what his father expected him to be. He let her see the person he wanted himself to be but yet she hid that she was part Veela from him making the guilt eat away at her.

The hour and half ends quickly with Christi being distracted the entire time and having twenty point s deducted from Slytherin.

When class ends Christi gathers her stuff then practically runs out of the classroom and she finds her sister coming from D.A.D.A.

"Caprice!" Christi yells.

"What?" she asks.

"I need your help."

"What now?"

Christi sighs and goes into the whole explanation of how Draco doesn't want to turn out like his father and how he wants to go and work in The Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

"Okay so now I'm feeling really guilty about hiding that _big secret _from him. It's eating at me! Help me!" she begs.

Caprice puts a finger to her chin and looks as if she's musing something deeply, "Hmmm... What would father say? Oh, yes. He'd tell you to keep your big mouth shut."

"You know how the guilt eats at me until I crack! Remember when you were eight and I was five and you broke mum's favorite lamp and you made me swear to keep it quiet until I cracked! Help me!" she begs.

"Don't let him slip you any Veritaserum." she shrugged half-heartedly.

"Ugh! You're no help! Anybody asks you haven't seen me." Christi says walking off toward the dungeons.

She gets in there then goes right over to her room and walks in then her tabby cat, Gilleyweed, leaps into her arms and starts purring softly and rubs his face against hers.

"Yes, I missed you too Gilleyweed. Oh what am I going to do? Keeping this secret is driving me crazy." She says screeching him behind his ears as she lies back on her bed.

**§Black Lake§**

Caprice and Fred were hanging out by the lake just enjoying their time together.

"I still can't believe you got picked for the Tournament. I'm worried." He sighs.

"Don't worry, love." Caprice smiles, snuggling deeper into his chest. She leaned up at nibbled at his neck and she said, "I'll be fine."

"If you keep this up my _broomstick_ will want to come out and play." He chuckle softly into her hair.

"That's silly." Caprice smiled as he rubbed her back,"We can't do anything in the grass. There's bugs out here."

"And people." he pointed out.

She looked around and shrugged. "Who cares about them?"

He laughs and snogs her softly.

"You're crazy love." He chuckles but adds, "But that's what I love about you. Always taking risks. It would be cool to say that I'm courting a Triwizard Tournament champion when you win Cup and prize money."

She giggles and snogs him lacing her fingers in the firey red hair along his neck and standing on her tip toes as he's six foot three and she's at least a foot shorter than he is.

George and Angelina come walking up and look at them.

"Ah please! If you're going to do that do that in private!" George playfully cries out.

Fred and Caprice pull back and look at them.

"Way to ruin a moment dear twin." Fred says to George smirking.

Caprice glares at George, "And your brother got me so worked up, too. Such a shame."

Angelina laughs at them, "Go up to his room, then."

"That sounds like a plan." Fred said laughing.

"Mind in the gutter much love?" Caprice asks laughing.

"Have you two even... You know... Yet?" Angelina asked.

"No. It's only been two and half months since we started dating. We're taking it slowly. Not rushing it."

"Rumor has it Malfoy and your sister have shagged already. But that's all it is. A rumor." Angelina shrugged.

"Excuse me." Caprice growls stalking off to find a certain blonde.

She was first going to hex his family jewels off then strangle him then smack her sister.

"Hey, Caprice, wait!" Fred yells running after her.

"What! They're only fourteen they shouldn't be shagging at fourteen!" she hisses.

"Don't do anything rash. Yes you can protect your sister just don't do anything to rash."

"I can't make any promises." She says then finds Draco coming out of the closest boys bathroom.

"MALFOY!" she yells.

He turns and sees Caprice coming over to him and she looked pissed and he backed away slowly.

"Yea?" he asks nervously.

She doesn't say anything but casts the hair loss curse at him.

"What the bloody hell is your problem!" he yells.

"Have you and my sister shagged?" she hisses as Christi comes over.

"BLOODY HELL! CAPRICIA NOELLE! WHAT DID YOU DO!" Christi shrieks going over to Draco.

"Come on, let's get you over to Snape. He'll know what to do." Christi says glaring at her sister.

They get to Snape's office and Christi knocks.

"Enter." He drones.

Christi hesitantly pushes the door open and he looks up and he has to hide the look of surprise on his face when he sees Draco.

"What happened?"

"Christi's highly over protective sister. She threw the hair loss curse at me then she wanted to know about something in Christi's and my relationship. Can you help? I can't walk around school like this."

Snape performs then counter curse then sends them on their way.

"I can't believe my sister! What was she so pissed about?"

"She wanted to know if we've shagged. I never had the chance to answer her she threw the hair loss curse at me."

Christi snorts when they get up to where Caprice is she and goes over to her.

"Hey! You have no right to go after my boyfriend like that and especially asking about private areas in our relationship and what is it to you even?"

"It's my right as your sister to protect you. Don't lose your virginity to someone... okay, sure, loose it to him, but don't lose it when your fourteen." she paused and added, "Please tell me you've still got it."

"Yes! For Merlin fucking sake! You don't need to know every little detail of my private personal life and you most certainly didn't need to curse my boyfriend either! I'm not a little kid. I don't need you being so protective of me."

Caprice puts her hands to her hair in frustration, and shrieks. "Yes, Christi, you are a little kid! You still are! And while I may certainly not be an adult, I am your older sister! No, you won't be a little kid forever, but... Right now you are!"

"I'm not a little kid! A kid is a first year! I'm not a first year! Caprice why are you hung up over this! It's not a big deal! Whatever you heard is just a stupid rumor that someone probably made up! Caprice you need to lay off on being so protective of me!"

"You're a little kid in my eyes. And yes, you having sex... It is a big deal! You're my little sister! And you're only fourteen. Yes, I over looked the fact that it could have been a rumor but all I was focused on was that you might be having sex! And Christi... I will never stop being protective of you. Live with it."

"Yes its fine to be protective of me but not so protective to point of cursing my boyfriend. How would you feel if I did what you did to Draco to Fred? Caprice you need to trust me and let me make my own mistakes and everything. You need to trust me." Christi says.

"Okay... I was in a hateful rage when I cursed him though, and it won't happen again. Unless he gets you pregnant..."

"Yea well he's not going to get shagged anytime soon. It's just going to be him and his hand for a while. So no need for worrying about me getting pregnant. Besides he's not the player all the girls portray him to be. He's actually a gentleman." Christi said.

Caprice sighs and says, "I'm sorry. I'll back off a bit of being over protective you. I'm just trying to look out for you."

Christi smiles and hugs her sister.

"Apology accepted now can you apologize to Draco? You scared him shitless and apologize for cursing his hair off."

"Sorry about that Malfoy. I was just protecting my sister."

"It's not a problem." He said.


	6. Chapter 6

Whispers at the breakfast table were wicked. They ranged from a mixture of amused giggles, angry hisses, mocking jeers, disgusted questions and threatening voices. Expressions of shock, happiness and rage were exchanged. Word of the fact that Draco Malfoy and Christi Venizelos were dating spread quickly, like fire.

_Did you hear about… I can't believe that… Ohmigosh, did you hear the news… It's unexpected… I never would have guessed… I knew it would happen eventually… We were betting when they would… I've been waiting for this forever… They're such a cute… Oh, that slag better watch out… I had my eyes on him first… She's such a tart… I swear he was about to ask me… She never even liked… I bet she doesn't… He'll dump her within… Okay, who cares… It really doesn't affect… Well it doesn't really matter… I don't care…_

All these things were said, and more. Christi hadn't heard all of them, but some of them. Draco had heard a good number too. Everything you could think of was being said by all tables. Beauxbatons and Durmstrang boys and girls were clueless, but all of Hogwarts buzzed with the news.

Caprice was frankly surprised it had taken this long to get out.

Meanwhile, Christi's friends were making jabs at her and such. They were saying how they knew it was going to happen and all that. Draco and Christi sat together, ignoring people and taking everything in stride.

"So did you complete that essay for McGonagall?" Christi asked, tuning out everyone else and making conversation with Draco.

"Almost. I've got half a roll of parchment left."

"I couldn't find any good books about the repercussions of changing one thing into something even more dangerous on accident. Yes, the Ministry will handle it, but it barely went into more detail than that."

"I know all about it from my father." Draco shrugged.

"I was getting so frustrated. And you know, I've absolutely got to keep my temper in check always."

"How come?"

"If I don't, then bad things could happen." she shrugged, "Because of what I am."

"Italian?" Draco joked. Christi laughed but didn't tell him she was part Veela. She was trying to drop subtle hints to him about it. She hated keeping him in the dark. It was like a huge secret he didn't know… Oh yeah, it was exactly that.

Christi was wondering how to drop another hint when Marcus Flint came up and sat across from the couple. He sneered at Draco and leered at Christi. "You know, Venizelos, you'd do so much greater with a man who was better looking that Malfoy."

"I'm fine with Draco's looks. They may be standard in your books, but to me he's a Greek god."

"If he's a Greek god, I must be Zeus." Marcus chuckled arrogantly.

"Sod off, Flint." Draco growled.

"Yes, please do go." Christi smiled sinisterly, "I'd prefer my breakfast without slimy boys today."

"Well then Draco should go."

"Flint, get out of here!" Draco finally snapped. Marcus left and Christi sighed.

"I hate that."

"What?"

"Guys coming onto me."

"Well you're very beautiful." he complimented. Christi blushed.

"Thanks… But I don't know why everyone is so attracted to me. I'm like a magnet." she didn't know how to put it any more subtly. So she finally ran out of ideas and dropped the idea of hinting. She would try again another time.

XXX

"So what have you come up with?" Christi asked, walking with Caprice to the library. Fred and George were on either side of Caprice and Christi had decided to catch up with them.

"I suggested she stupefies the dragon." George said.

"Then I told him that it would take an awful strong stupefying curse to knock out a dragon." Caprice rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, George." Christi taunted.

"Shut up, Caprice's sister." George teased.

"Why don't you bind the dragon with ropes?" Fred suggested.

"Because dragons are stronger than ropes."

"Ropes made of steel…"

"Yeah, a dragon is still stronger." Caprice laughed. They entered the library and saw Fleur and her gaggle of friends sat at a table. Fleur was reading a book while her friends were just giggling. Harry was at another table with Ron and Hermione.

"Maybe I'll find something in these dreadful books." Caprice groaned. The four walked over to the same table as Harry and his friends. "What do you have there, Harry?"

"Well I'm trying to figure out how to strengthen my _Accio_. I'm terrible at it, and I need it to summon my broom in the task."

"That's a good idea!" she practically exclaimed, "why hadn't I thought of that?"

"You'll think of something." Fred said encouragingly.

"I hope." she sighed, going over to get a few books. She came back with five books on dragons and their vulnerabilities.

"Why don't you just distract it?" George suggested, "Give it something to chase after."

"Besides myself?"

"Yes, besides you. Something bigger than you. Transfigure a rock into a unicorn."

"I couldn't let a dragon kill a unicorn!"

"It wouldn't be a unicorn. It would be a rock."

"Try disillusioning yourself." Christi said.

"That only works for Muggles, Christi." Caprice said, reading through a chapter, "_Medusa was known for turning men into stone, and has turned a few dragons to stone as well._"

"Why'd you read that?" Fred asked.

"It caught my eye… _Duro_." She was talking about the hardening spell that turns the target to stone.

"You're going to turn the dragon to stone."

"Turning something stone into a living being, then turning a living being into stone." Christi said, "I can't believe how well that works both ways."

"Wait, can you produce one strong enough?" Hermione asked.

"_Duro_ is one of my best charms." Caprice said, "I turned our house to stone once."

"Mum was so furious at her." Christi giggled as Caprice flipped through a few more pages.

"But can you perform it well on a moving object?" Hermione asked.

"If anything, I'll cast it twice."

Fred interjected, "You might want a backup plan."

Caprice shrugged, "If it doesn't work out, then I'll die. Or lose. Or both, whichever comes first, really."

Hermione bit her lip, "You should practice it on moving objects."

Ron snorted, "Ask Hagrid if you can stone the Skrewts."

"I stoned a Selkie once. Don't you remember that, Christi?"

"Yes. Very sad, seeing the seal all petrified and dead-looking."

"It wasn't a seal. It was a Selkie. I watched it take its skin off and put it back on."

"Could have been a finfolk." Christi said.

"While there are finfolk in that lake of ours, that was not one of them. I know you've only seen a few of our aquatic creatures, but in our lake and all the lakes around us, you've got to get it right. You can't be mistaking a Nix and a Rhinemaiden and a Merrow, for the life of you."

"You guys have aquatic creatures around you?" Fred asked skeptically.

"You should see them. They can get annoying, but are generally friendly… Some of them. But when they all live in harmony down there, they're alright."

"Can't you swim in the lake?"

"Not with all them. It's dangerous, Mum says."

"So are you going to practice more on moving things?" Hermione said, "I don't want to see you go down."

Caprice shrugged, "Yeah. Thanks for your concern." she smiled.

XXX

"Thank you so much, Hagrid!" Caprice hugged the half-giant. Fred and George were with her, asking if she could borrow the Skrewts.

"Is not a problem." he said in his gruff voice, "I'm happy ter lend 'em ter ya! Yer can practice in the yard."

He went and got them, and let them loose. Then he went inside the house as Caprice was left to petrify them. Fred and George backed away from them, avoiding their blasts of fire.

"_Duro!_" Caprice hissed at one. It was frozen on the spot. After a few more, George and Fred talked encouragingly to her.

"You're doing great! Get them all, Caprice!" George said.

"Oh, that one was big!"

Caprice sighed after charming all of them and sat down, "They aren't big enough. Dragons are like… A thousand times this size, and a million times stronger."

"Your charm is strong enough. Trust me." Fred smiled and kissed her temple. Caprice bounded up onto her feet.

"I'm gonna go freeze the Giant Squid." she started to run off.

When Fred and George had it registered through their minds what she was gonna do, they got up and ran after her.

"No!"

"Don't!"

XXX

On the day of the First Task, tensions were up. Caprice was snapping at anything and everything. Whether it was burnt toast or bumping into a first year, she went off. Fred had told her several times to calm down, but it wasn't easy for her.

"God, I hate this! Can't I just drop out?" she groaned.

"You're bound by magical contract."

"I never signed anything!"

Soon it was time for her to go to the tent, so they could find out the task. It was pretty obvious when they entered it was dragons. They picked little dragons out of a bag, and Caprice ended up with the Swedish Short-Snout. As they prepared for the task ahead of them, they also waited for everyone to arrive and be ushered into the stands.

Caprice glared at her miniature dragon and didn't notice Fred sneaking in until he sat beside her.

"You can do this, Caprice." he said encouragingly.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive." he grinned and kissed her cheek.

"What if I die or something?"

"You won't die, love. I promise." he said. "Now, I've got to go because you're about to be up. I love you."

"I love you too…" she sighed, "Thanks, Freddie!"

She stood up and tried to shake her jitters off, but they were like leeches. They hung to her without any sign of coming off, sucking up what she needed (in this case, it was hope). She peaked outside of the tent and scanned the bleachers, looking for people she knew. She saw Fred and George, and on one side of them was Angelina, Alicia, Patricia, and Lee. On the other side was Christi, who was sitting next to somebody surprising.

Their mother and father were there to support Caprice. She mentally smiled but couldn't get her lips to mimic it. Ambria-Jane was also there, sitting next to her mother and conversing about something like sewing and cooking recipes, probably.

The Judges announced what the task was and who to Champions were, and who was going first, which was Caprice. It was her cue to go on, and the task started.

The dragon before her was menacing. It was a million times her size, and definitely bigger than the Giant Squid. She went for the spell anyway.

"_Duro!_" she shouted at it, freezing it for what seemed like three seconds. She needed more time. She could see the egg, but it would take longer than that for her to run over and get it, then run back. "_Duro!_" she shouted again, trying to make her spell stronger. This time it froze for maybe ten seconds. She tried again, trying with all her might. She decided it was then or never, and she bolted for it while the dragon was frozen.

She scooped up the egg, but a loud roar above her said the dragon was awake again. It blew fire at her, lighting everything on fire around her. She was trapped by a ring of fire all around her, twenty feet high and blazing.

"_Duro!_" she shouted at the monster whose head was hovering above. It froze and she hissed, "_Aguamenti_," as the flames to make them go out. She ran toward the tent, getting away as fast as she could. Her clothes were burnt slightly, she had a burn on her hand and she has ash all over her from the fire.

The dragon roared again and cam after her. It swiped at her with its claw like a cat would do to a piece of string. Caprice was knocked down and she drowned out all yelling from the crowd. She had hit her head on something sharp, but didn't think about the blood trickling down. "_Duro!_" she pointed her wand at the dragon, freezing it again as she made her escape.

Caprice staggered into the tent, wiping blood from her brow. She didn't have time to process what was going on as she was ushered with Madame Pomfrey to the Hospital Wing.

"Come, dear, let's get you checked out."

"I don't need to be checked out." Caprice argued, "I'm fine."

"No, you're not. You're bleeding. Now let's go so I can bandage you up."

Caprice groaned, "Can't I just go and see my family?"

"You don't want to see them while you're all bloody. I know for a fact your mother wouldn't appreciate it."

Caprice laughed at how well everyone knew her mother. Madame Pomfrey was right. Caprice and Christi's mother didn't like unseemliness. She would have fainted at one look at Caprice's current state.

Caprice's heart ached when she though of it, and she just couldn't wait to get back and greet her family. And as she clutched the golden egg, she grew more curious about what it was really for.


	7. Chapter 7

"So have you figured out the clue in the golden egg?" Christi asks Caprice. They were in Muggle London with Ambria-Jane and their mother, Giovanna shopping for dresses for the Yule Ball. They wanted to get all the best dresses and most unique dresses so that they were shopping for them now.

"No and it's driving me crazy." Caprice comments offhandedly, busy looking at a few tulle dresses.

"Have you talked to Harry, Fleur, or Viktor?"

"No." she shook her head.

"You should. I'm pretty sure one of them have figured it out by now."

"I don't want to. I'll seem weak asking my opponents."

"You should. What do you think about this one Capri?" Christi asks holding up an electric blue dress mermaid style dress.

"That dress hurts my eyes."

Christi groans and sighs. "This is difficult. I mean I want something that's different and unique but also something that will knock Draco's socks off."

"Draco who? A boyfriend?" Giovanna asks, "Draco Malfoy, possibly?"

"Uh yea. I've written to you and daddy about him."

"Oh. I didn't think you were serious with him."

"We have been dating for like three maybe four months now. He's really sweet, a total gentleman."

"The Malfoy's isn't a family you should associate with. They're a Dark family."

"Mother, please, if you just get to know him you'll really like Draco." Christi practically begs.

"I'm not meeting him but I'll allow you to date but your father won't like it."

She nods and gnaws her lower lip.

"What about this?" Caprice asks holding up a gold dress with lots of beading.

"Perfect for you! No one else is gonna have that dress." Christi says smiling.

"Good now we need to find you one!"

They search for about an hour until Caprice found a strapless bubble gum pink dress with some simple beading on the bust line for her sister. "What do you think Christi?" Caprice asks.

"I love it! Awesome! So we have two unique dresses and ones no one will have." Christi commented. "So mum why don't you like the Malfoy's? I mean Draco really is a good kid. He's nothing like his father. Nothing at all."

"Christi, what you asked was completely invalid." Caprice muttered, "Why doesn't she like the Malfoy's because Draco is a good kid. There's nothing to like about the Malfoy's. Draco may be nice, but you must learn to clarify what you want to know."

"How do you know there's nothing to like about the Malfoy's?" Christi asked.

Caprice and Giovanna shared a glance before Caprice said, "No reason..."

Christi surely didn't miss that.

Before she could ask, Caprice changed the subject, "Mum," Caprice begins, turning to their mother, who had a olive green taffeta monstrosity in her hands, "Are Christi and I too… Spoiled?"

"Spoiled? You mean because we have money?"

"Yes." Caprice nodded.

"Well, pet," Giovanna beamed at her eldest daughter, and took her chin in two fingers, "I don't see the point of having lots of money if you can't spoil your children with it."

"Well we could donate it to charity. I would love to give money to the fund for finding a cure for lycanthropy. Or Dragon Pox."

Giovanna shuddered, "Dragon Pox. Terrible thing, ruins your appearance. You'll still have green-tinted skin and scale marks even months after you've been cured."

"That's not even my point." Caprice rolled her eyes, "My point is, why not give to the less fortunate? For once when we see a bum sitting, asking for knuts in Diagon Alley, why don't we help him out? Why don't be give him a couple of sickles or even galleons!"

"One time I dumped my entire money purse into the fountain at the Ministry." Christi chimed in, in a spacey way, practically daydreaming.

"Capricia, why are you bringing this up now?"

"It might have something to do with her lower-class boyfriend." Christi giggled.

"Who're you dating?" Giovanna asked abruptly.

"He has red hair," Christi said tantalizingly, "He's got red hair and he's tall like a string bean… And he has a million brothers and one sister in his household, his family is _so_ big!"

"Christi, how hyper are you today, really?" Caprice asked, nearly glaring at her younger bouncing sister.

"Just a little bit." she said quickly.

Caprice rolled her eyes, "I'm dating Fred Weasley, mother."

"A Weasley…" Giovanna's nose scrunched up in near disgust, "Why?"

"I don't want to say we're in love… Our attraction to each other is very strong though."

"You sure it's not your… Powers?" Giovanna looked around worriedly, looking for potential eavesdroppers, as if there were any. She was of course talking about the girls being a part Veela.

"I'm sure. We were friends long before he asked me to be his girl." Caprice smiled.

"And actually, she turned him down several times before she said yes to him!" Christi giggled as if she thought it were the most hilarious thing in the world.

"That's not the point!" Caprice exclaimed, "Look, it's a good feeling to give money to those less fortunate!"

"You want me to give money to the Weasley's?" Giovanna raised her eyebrows.

"No! I want you to give money to St. Mungos! I want you to give money to House Elves and to rights groups for Goblins and to safe homes for distressed witches and Squib support groups and vampire tolerance associations and troll rights movements! I want you to give money to help society!"

"Merlin, Caprice!" Giovanna sighed exasperatedly, "What sort of bullocks has he put into your mind?"

"Oh, it isn't bullocks mother! We have enough money to help people and keep living the life we do!"

"Okay, Caprice! You know what, fine. We will contribute to society. We will help people. I promise, there are you happy now?"

Caprice nodded surely, "Yes. Yes I am."

"Ridiculous…" Giovanna started muttering, "Pure, utter foolishness…"

XXX

They headed back to the school and the girls head back to their dorms and put their dresses away. After they get them put away Christi and Caprice both head to the kitchen to get something to something to eat as they missed lunch.

"Caprice answer me truthfully. Do you really have a problem with the Malfoy's and are you tolerating Draco just for me? I mean if you would just give Draco a chance and really get to know him you'll see he's nothing like his family."

"Again, Christi. That is invalid! You cannot group 'the Malfoy's' and Draco alone together. They are different. I can handle Draco. The rest of his family... Not so much."

Christi nods as they head back to their separate common rooms after quickly eating their lunches. Reaching the Gryffindor Common Room and sees either George sitting there working on what she hoped was homework.

"George." she nods to him in greeting.

"Capri." he greets her.

"So have you figured out the egg yet?"

"No! This stupid egg is ticking me off." she muttered angrily.

"You'll figure it out." he said honestly.

"Yea. Well I am going for a hot bath. If you need me, then find another Prefect to come and get me." she said.

"You're bathing in the Prefect's bathroom?"

"Yes." she nodded.

"You aren't a Prefect."

"Since when are you so stern on breaking rules?" she practically sneered, but caught herself before she finished. She went to her room and grabbed her bathrobe and towel along with the egg to glare at it as she bathed.

On her way to the fifth floor Prefect's Bathroom she's stopped by Professor Moody. "Miss Venizelos, I would open that egg underwater." He says then hobbles away.

She frowns and gets to the bathroom's entrance. "Pine fresh." She says. The door opens and she heads inside. She fills the tub then climbs in once it's filled. She relaxes a bit then looks at the egg.

"Alright. Let's give you a try and open you up underwater." Caprice says aloud to herself.

She grabs it then takes in a breath of air and submerges under the water and opens the egg.

As soon as she opens it instead of the loud ear piercing screeching she hears, "_Come seek us where our voices sound, We cannot sing above the ground, And while you're searching, ponder this; We've taken what you'll sorely miss, An hour long you'll have to look, And recover what we took, But past an hour - the prospect's black, Too late, it's gone, it won't come back._"

She pops up and closes the egg underwater then brings it back up and places it on the edge.

She leans back and starts thinking about each line deciphering it.

"Come and seek us where our voices sound we cannot sing above the ground." she repeats surely, "Obviously under the water. Black Lake, possibly…" she sighed, "Taken what I'll sorely miss… Prized possession. That doesn't matter. And hour is the time limit, past an hour, I won't get my possession back… Delightful. Now, what's under the water? What's in the Lake? Giant Squid… I will bet on that one." she sighed, unable to figure it out, "I'll have to go to the library…" Finally, after mulling over it some more, she got fed up and ended her bath. After drying herself and walking back, it came to her. _Mermaids_. "Fuck!" she growls. "It just has to be vicious as hell mermaids!"

She gets back to the common room and spots Fred in there and she smiles. "Hello love." she greeted him.

"Hey. How was the bath?"

"Refreshing. I actually figured out the egg."

"Really what is it?"

"It's in Black Lake, something that I would sorely miss is going to be taken and I'll only have an hour to get it back but after an hour it's gone for good. Oh and I'm going to have fight mermaids. So no big deal." she shrugged nonchalantly.

"It is a big deal!" he exclaimed, "Mermaids are vicious things! So do you have any idea of the thing you'll sorely miss is? I mean if we can figure it out it will make the task easier for you."

"Yea but I don't know if it's a material possession or what. I mean if it's a person it would most defiantly be my sister. But if it's a material thing it would be my gold and diamond rosary."

"Why not me?" he pouts teasingly.

"Fred, love, she's my sister we grew up together. She's blood family and no matter how much she bothers me. I love her." Caprice says.

"I understand. It would be the same thing for me if I was able to join. It would be George for me."

She smiles and kisses him.

"So you going to tip Harry off since he tipped you off about the dragons?"

"Yes. I mean why not repay his favor when he didn't have to tell me. I'm going to tell him. I'm just worried about what the thing I'll sorely miss is that they're going to take." She shrugged, "I also need a way to breathe underwater for an hour."

"I wonder on how they'll get whatever you'll sorely miss." Fred said.

"Me too. But lets not worry about that right now."

In the Slytherin Common Room Christi was stretched out across one of the forest green leather sofa leaning against the arm doing Potions homework.

"Damn it Draco I hate your godfather! This freaking assignment is really pissing me off and wanting to chuck my book into fire place."

Draco laughs and shakes his head. "Hey. Stop laughing or you won't get any snogging for the rest of the month."

"Love, if you need help have one of the sixth or seventh years to help you out."

She just glares at him making him laugh. "Prat." She mutters.

"Hey!" Draco cries fake insulted then goes over and starts tickling her.

"Take it back." He laughs.

"No!"

He goes for her most ticklish spots on her sides making her squirm uncontrollably and she falls off the sofa and Draco keeps tickling her as Snape walks in as he needed to speak with a student about their grades and he sees the two laughing.

"Didn't I assign three rolls of parchment on Devil's Snare and Aconite?" he drones.

"Draco started it!" she giggles pushing him over.

"Well get back to work if you want a good grade." He said heading toward the boys dorms to talk to the student he needs to.

They nod still laughing as they get up and continue on working on their assignment.

"So has your sister figured out the egg yet?" Draco asked, changing the subject.

"Nope but I'm sure she'll find it out sooner or later and tell me." Christi said.

"You two tell each other everything don't you?"

"Yea. I mean it was just her and I growing up. Ambria-Jane is like our seventh nanny. We grew up with nanny's raising us. So we only really had each other growing up."

"What about your parents?"

"My dad works for the Ministry and my mum does nothing."

"Then why do you have a nanny if your mum does nothing?"

"Because she's too damn lazy to take care of us herself."

"That's terrible." he frowned.

"Yea. But it's really no big deal." She said finishing up the homework for Snape's class. "So what about your family?" Christi asks.

"Well my dad is one of the Twelve Governors, he also owns his own companies and my mom is basically the same as yours does nothing so I was mainly raised by nannies and governess."

"Looks like we have a lot in common." She smiles.

"Yea." He says.

"I really want to know what this second task is. It's driving me crazy."

"Ask your sister."

"I can't just waltz into the Gryffindor Common Room, yell out for my sister and ask what the second task is."

"Find her when she isn't in there."

"Yeah, whatever." Christi sighed, and changed the subject, "So what do you want for Christmas this year? It's in a few weeks, you know. I wanna go and get all my gifts early and don't tell me nothing. Tell me something."

"I have no idea. Honestly."

"Ugh! You need to think of something."

"Alright. I promise I'll think of something. What do you want?"

"I saw this really gorgeous silver necklace that has this really nice looking snake pendant with emerald eyes and pearls going along the body. It's really nice looking. I love it."

Draco smiles and nods. "Where was it?"

"Hogsmeade in that antique shop."

He smiles and kisses her softly. Her stomach suddenly growls loudly and they both start laughing hysterically. "Come on it's almost time for dinner." Draco says. Christi nods and they go put their books away then they head to the Great Hall, holding hands.


	8. Chapter 8

It was a chilly day. Flurries of snow were coming down delicately, but it wasn't snowing completely. The little snowflakes made a thin quilt on the ground. Not a blanket, but not just a sheet. It was perfect for this Hogsmeade visit.

Caprice was finally relaxing. She didn't have to worry about the Second Task until February. She knew what it was, she knew how she was going to breathe underwater, too. She was going to charm herself to have gills instead of lungs. Angeline asked if she would give herself webbed hands and feet to swim better. To that, Caprice had said no. She was a great swimmer, having swam in the lake behind her house quite a bit. She was a strong, fast swimmer and had to problems swimming distances or depths.

Anyways, Caprice wasn't worried about anything. She was doing fantastic in her studies, her relationship with Fred was going fantastic. In fact, she was doing more than well in everything. Her life was perfect at the moment.

She was unwinding with her friends as they walked to Hogsmeade. Fred's arm was around her shoulder, holding her close and shielding her from the wind.

"So how are you going to give yourself gills?" Alicia asked.

Caprice shrugged, "I'll get Flitwick and McGonagall together and ask them. Some sort of Transfiguration and Charm will work to disable my lungs and give myself gills in a set period of time."

"Won't be easy." Lee commented.

"Well of course it won't. I'll be turning myself into a human fish." Caprice smiled as they arrived in town.

"Caprice, don't you have that meeting with Cedric now?" Patricia asked, looking at her watch.

"You have a meeting with Cedric?" Fred asked, "Cedric Diggory?"

"Yeah, it's only about a Herbology project. It'll be quick, I promise. Meet you guys outside the Three Broomsticks in twenty minutes, then." she said, taking off. Fred held onto her wrist though, and she couldn't escape his grip. "What, Fred?" she snapped.

Fred didn't really have anything to say, so he said of the first thing that came to mind, "What's the project?"

"Just an interclass thing with seventh and sixth years. You wouldn't know because you aren't in my Monday Herbology class." she said.

He sighed, "Just… Hurry back."

"I will." she smiled and kissed him quickly, "Twenty minutes."

"If you take longer I'll come searching!" he called after her. She kept walking though and disappeared into the Three Broomsticks. He saw a tall blond boy walk in a moment later.

"Fred, aren't you going to go after her? Spy on her?" Lee suggested.

"Lee!" Alicia scolded him, "Don't put ideas in his head!"

"Yeah, Lee," Angelina nodded, "Fred, Caprice is reliable and would never cheat on you."

"I know that." he nodded and turned to his brother, "What do you think, George?"

George was startled, "Me?"

"Yes, you."

"Well… I don't know. Sure."

"'Sure' what?" he asked, aggravated.

"I don't know! Fred, we've been friends with Caprice for years. She's never cheated on anything, including past boyfriends. She's not a bad person. The fact you're asking means you don't really think much of yourself and you think _a lot_ of Cedric Diggory."

"Words of wisdom, George." Patricia smirked, "Who knew you could be so deep?"

"You haven't seen the half of it, dear." he chuckled.

"No, you're right." Fred nodded, "I trust her. Of course I do. Now let's go to Zonko's. I hear the old man has some real nice new pranks."

XXX

Twenty minutes later after they had gone to Zonko's, they were waiting outside the Three Broomsticks. It had gotten slightly chillier, and the girls were whining to go in.

"C'mon, let's go!" Alicia groaned.

"Okay, fine!" Lee finally growled, "Have it your way! Screechy birds…"

Fred and George laughed while the girls were slightly offended. They went inside and searched the pub for Caprice and Cedric.

Fred spotted them in a far corner, laughing. A delightful smirk was placed on Caprice's face. It was a smile he rarely saw on her unless she was incredibly enchanted. A fire started inside of Fred, going to his heart and brain. Angelina placed a strong hand on his arm to hold him in place. George did the same to his shoulder, but somewhat stronger.

Cedric said something, and Fred heard Caprice's tinkling laughter ring out. It was like bells. It was a giggle she usually saved merely for him. He felt hurt by this. He felt jealous and angry and he wanted to do something.

"Fred, calm down." Angelina hissed at him.

"Yeah, Fred." George nodded, "Keep your head on."

Cedric looked at his watch and told Caprice something, and Caprice agreed and they started getting up. Cedric put a few sickles on the table for both their Butterbeers. Caprice put her coat on and grabbed her purse, then started talking to Cedric again. They hugged and Cedric kissed her cheek. More anger flared in Fred, and he was about to explode.

Caprice looked around and saw the gang, and she smiled. Cedric had already left, going in another direction completely. Caprice walked over and smiled at them.

"Hey, guys."

"Hey." they all smiled, fake. They all had seen Caprice's actions with Cedric. How she flirted with him and acted like she did around Fred.

"How was your… meeting…" Fred spat.

Caprice seemed slightly taken aback, "It was fine." she said sternly, "Jeez, what's gotten into you?"

"Your… Your flirting with Cedric just moments ago. That's what's gotten into me." Fred snapped.

"What are you talking about, Fred? I only said goodbye to him!"

"Come here." he growled, taking her hand and leading her to a table far back, away from the rest. When he let go of her, she rubbed her wrist since he had hurt it with his tight grip. "You know what you were doing, Caprice! Your flirting with him was so obvious!"

"Flirting? What flirting? He kissed my cheek!"

"All that smiling and giggling. That flirty talk between you two."

"Oh, I doubt you could even hear what we were talking about!" she hissed.

"No, but I can guess. 'Oh, Cedric!'" he said in a fake girl voice, "'You're so much handsomer and better than Fred! Kiss my cheek!'"

"Oh, is that was you think then? That Cedric is better than yourself! What low self esteem issues you must have, darling." Caprice taunted, "Do you think I'm some sort of slag? Sleeping around behind your back? Dating other guys?"

"_Guys_? Plural? How many are there?"

"None, Fred! Who do you think I am?"

"Not the right kind of girl." he hissed, "Not at all."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"You aren't right for me. I'm breaking up with you." he said and stood abruptly.

"Breaking up with me?" she scoffed, "You know, maybe Cedric is better for me! He's more confident, has less of an ego, more of a gentleman, that's for sure!"

"Gentleman? You call slobbering all over you being a gentleman?" he scoffed, "You are obviously confused, my dear."

"And so are you-with what you _saw_!"

"I'm also confused at why you led me on. You're a deceitful hateful slag, Caprice. Stay out of my life, now." he said lowly, then turned to walk off.

"Go to Hell, you jealous bastard!" she screamed after him, trying to keep her emotions in check. If she got too angry, she would turn into her harpy-like form that angry Veela women turned into. That would be bad, especially since none of them knew that she was a Veela.

While emotionally controlling herself she didn't realize her hand going toward a lit candle and chucking it at the opposite wall, hitting high above a group of fifth year Hufflepuff girls. It shattered and glass rained down on them, the candle being extinguished. They shrieked and left the booth in a hurry, running out the door in a hurry.

Caprice would have laughed had she not been so angry. The group was still standing where they were before. She walked over, intent on going past them furiously. She did, just in time for Fred to say something that made her blood boil.

"Angelina, will you go to the Yule Ball with me?"

"I, uhh, umm…" she didn't answer in time. Caprice had already stormed past, and ripped the doorknob off the door. Caprice didn't hear the rest of Angelina's answer. She threw the brass doorknob into the snow and stormed off, going straight toward the path back to Hogwarts. She suddenly heard the padding of feet behind her. Expecting one of her backstabbing friends, she turned, ready to lash out.

It was only her sister. "Caprice, what's wrong?" Christi asked, "I saw you heading this way and you seem upset."

"I'm fine, perfect really. Can't you tell?" Caprice snarled, not stopping to wait. Christi jogged to keep up with her sister's fast pace.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing I want to share."

"Mum always said it wasn't good to bottle your emotions." Christi pointed out cheekily.

"I don't have time for you, Christi!" Caprice exclaimed rather harshly. At the hurt look on Christi's face, Caprice sighed, "Alright, fine. I'm sorry. I'm just… Furious."

"Why? Talk to me."

"Fred and I broke up." she sighed.

Christ gasped, "What? You two were the perfect couple though!"

"Were." Caprice nodded, "I just had a meeting with Cedric Diggory about an assignment and Fred thought we were flirting."

"What did you say to each other? You and Fred I mean. Did you fight?"

"Terribly." Caprice nodded, "I won't replay the entire thing to you, but in mainly involved me saying Cedric was better than Fred, him calling me a slag and him dumping me. Then as I walked out, he asked Angelina to the Ball right in front of me."

"What a bloody bastard!"

"Watch your mouth!" Caprice hissed, "Mum won't like it when we go home over the summer and she hears you saying all kinds of profanities! And it's likely she'll blame me!"

"Whatever." Christi rolled her eyes, "I'm so sorry, Caprice."

"I'm more angry and hurt than… Sad I guess. I just want to chop his fingers off one by one and make him eat them."

"What sort of sadist are you, then?" she exclaimed.

"I'd be a sadist if it were his testicles instead of his fingers…"

Christi laughed, "You should!"

"He's not worth going to Azkaban for." Caprice shook her head. Suddenly, Angelina ran up to them.

"Caprice!"

"What do you want?" Caprice asked harshly.

"Just so you know, I didn't say yes."

Caprice sighed and said, "Christi, go with your friends."

"Well fine then. I don't want to hear your prissy conversation anyway… Fill me in on the details later, would you?"

Caprice shooed her off without answering, "Alright, what do you want?"

"I just… I'm so sorry."

"Go for it." Caprice shrugged.

"Excuse me?" Angelina asked, taken aback.

"I don't care if you date Fred. In fact, I want you to say yes." Caprice said with a straight face. It was hard for her to say since she really did care. She didn't want Fred to be going with any other girl, but now that they were broken up she had to accept it. And she knew Angelina was going to say yes eventually, either way. Fred would bother her until she broke down and agreed to him to go with him.

Angelina frowned, "But-"

"No! Say yes to him Angelina. Do it, or else."

"Or else what?"

Caprice thought for a second, "Or I'll cut Fred's fingers off and feed them to you."


	9. Chapter 9

Approaching Fred, George thinks of how he was going to word his question without upsetting his brother. He was nervous enough about asking it any way, but it's all about presentation. He always got nervous about asking his brother something so important. He knew Fred got nervous about asking him important stuff too. And he knew that Fred felt guilty about asking Angelina out after he broke up with Caprice, since Fred knew George had his eye on Angelina. Fred hadn't asked George about it, but he wouldn't admit it. Nor would George admit that he knew about his remorse.

"Hey, brother." Fed greeted George quietly. They were in the Common Room, a usually noisy and boisterous place. However, today fifth and seventh years were studying for their exams, so it had been dubbed a quiet place. No student was allowed to be rambunctious that day while students researched and reviewed and analyzed information on classes ranging from the easiest like Herbology and Charms, to quite difficult subjects like Potions and Astrology. While Fred and George were a little bummed about the quiet-zone rules, they took the opportunity to catch up on classwork.

"How's it going?" George asked, looking at the Transfiguration book in his twin's hands.

"Fine. What do you need?"

_Here it goes_. George thought. His palms were sweating, his heart was palpitating, his breaths were coming in jagged, sharp pants. It was like he had been running, or doing extensive physical labor. He didn't know why he was getting this nervous about asking his brother something so simple.

Then, he decided to just take a leap. "Hey Fred, look I was wondering can I ask Caprice to the Yule Ball?" He knew it was going against their code of asking out each other's exes. However, Caprice needed a date for the Yule Ball. He didn't have anyone know that Lee asked Alicia, and Patricia was going with a Ravenclaw, and Katie was going with Cormac McLaggen. And while Caprice had a lot of options, he wanted to snag her first. So, figured he'd ask her to it before anyone else did.

"Yeah, sure. Go ahead." Fred shrugged, acting as if he didn't care. However, he really did. It was clear to everyone that Fred still cared for Caprice. When he would kiss Angelina, he would look over to see if Caprice was jealous. When Caprice would be talking and flirting with another guy, Fred would become monstrously jealous, but act as if he wasn't. It was written all over his face though. Screaming out of his angry, sad eyes. It was practically drawn on his mouth when he made any expression, since his smiles didn't reach his eyes.

Even now, his face was stony. He looked straight into his book. George could almost make out his blue eyes clouded with anger and jealousy. He could see rage on all his features. His lips were in a sneer-like frown, and his entire expression was cold and hurt. He was pained, he was sad. He was trying to look heartless. He was trying to be emotionless, but Fred couldn't pull it off.

"Are you really sure?" George asked, hope lighting up his eyes.

"Yeah, I'm sure. I'd much rather know she was going with someone I could trust. You know, rather than some arse." Fred said. George noticed his features soften a bit as he said that. George could tell his brother's heart was aching.

George nods then goes to find Caprice to ask her. He had invented a set of fireworks to set off that would say 'Yule Ball, Caprice? -George' when they exploded.

He finds her in the Great Hall. She was having lunch with Christi and both the girls were laughing and giggling over something. It was obvious Caprice had been here to escape the deathly silent Common Room. George smiled, since what better way to spent free time than with a sibling? Not that he would have personal, alone time with Ron or Ginny. _Maybe Ginny… _

_She's less awkward and has a much better sense of humor that Ron._ George thought. He put himself back into reality then, trying to think of the task at hand.

HE got into the right position in the Great Hall. He had charmed the fireworks to not set on fire… Unless it was the Slytherin banners. But they wouldn't be near those banners, so it was unlikely.

_Maybe I'll bring up to Fred about setting the Slytherin banners on fire._

He set the firework off and it went flying toward Caprice, then explodes right in front of her. It was many different colors. Gold and red, sparkling silver, blue, white and black. All the colors he knew she loved. It sparkled and danced in front of her, crackling and sparking. Then, it formed the words, _'Yule Ball, Caprice? George?'_

"Aww!" Christi cooed.

Caprice just glares at her sister then she looks over at George. He was standing there, looking so hopeful. She sighs and gets up from the table. She walked out of the Great Hall, trying not to make a scene or anything. She didn't like the attention. Everyone knew she had broken up with Fred now, and it would seem quite slaggish of her to say yes to George publicly, Fred's own brother.

George stood there, dumbfounded, for a minute. Christi finally got fed up with that, and shouted to him. "George!" she yelled, capturing his attention. He looked heartbroken as he looked at her. He knew he shouldn't have felt this way, but it was inevitable.

"What?" he asks.

"Go, run after her! She couldn't have gotten far while you were in your daze." Christi shouts over to him. He nods and runs out of the Great Hall and after Caprice. He catches up to her and gently grasps her elbow.

"So about my offer?" he asked, raising his eyebrows. He decided to use a bit of Weasley charm on her.

Only select people in his family got it. His grandfather on his dad's side had it, and it skipped Arthur for some reason and went to exclusive children in restricted amounts. Bill got a bit of it, enough to get quite a few girls in school. Charlie got it in a great big load. Percy hadn't gotten any, but Fred and George thought that it may have been just his attitude. Fred and George got equal amounts-less than Charlie, but they had to share it among the two of them, they supposed. It skipped Ron, and Ginny was too young for it to be determined for her yet. It was their own theory, of course.

"I'm not sure George." Caprice shrugged, taking her arm out of his grip.

"I talked to Fred and he said it was fine. He wants to know you're going with someone he can trust." George said.

"Really?" Caprice raised her eyebrows. He wasn't sure if this was hope, or if she was just interested in hearing about Fred. She, too, was not over his yet. All the same signs of want were in her, if not toned down at some points and toned way up at others. Her jealously and rivalry was never stable, but it was always there, much like Fred.

"Really." he nodded.

Caprice sighed, and smiled at him, "Well okay. Yes, I'll go to the Yule Ball with you, George." He smiles and nods, then she heads back into the Great Hall and goes and sits across from Christi again. "I'm confused."

"About?" Christi asked lethargically, much unlike her usual hyper attitude during lunch.

"My emotions." he shrugged and Christi scoffed. This didn't faze Caprice and she continued, as if she hadn't noticed at all, "I mean Fred is okay with me going the Yule Ball with George… but I don't know. It just feels wrong going out with my ex-boyfriend's twin brother."

"Well if he's okay with it then I really don't see the problem." Christi said slightly confused.

"It's too complicated, dear sister." Caprice rolled her eyes at her younger, naïve, confused, unknowing sister.

Christi was no taken aback by this. She barely noticed it was the slightest of an insult. She nods then notices the time. "Crap I gotta run. I left my books in my room by mistake. I gotta go and get them then get to Potions or Snape is gonna give me a never ending detention sentence. Have fun with your emotions and George and Fred and confusion… Bye!"

She gets down there and quickly utters the password to the portrait. Then she bolts into the common room, then right up to her dormitory. She runs into the room, grabs her stuff, and then back out of Slytherin house and right into the Potions classroom.

"You're late, Miss. Venizelos." he drones in his usual boring drawl.

"Sorry, Professor. I had forgotten my books." Christi apologizes, if somewhat insincere.

"Don't let it happen again." he snapped. She nods and gets to work on helping Draco.

He smirked at her, and said, "Let me guess you got caught up in lunch with your sister?"

"Yeah." she nodded, "Lost all track of time." Draco laughs and shakes his head as they start stirring the potion. "Have I mentioned that I hate Potions? It's really difficult." Christi growls.

"Well what do you want to be?" he asked, occupied with his task.

"A Hit Witch… which involves no Potions what's so ever!" Christi exclaimed.

Draco laughs and quickly pecks her cheek making her blush. "You know Aurors need a Potions credit so if they need it you might need it as well."

"Spoil sport." She mutters.

Draco laughs and shakes his head. They finish off their potion and have Severus check it over then he releases them. Heading across the courtyard, they head over to Hagrid's for Care of Magical Creatures.

"I don't know why I let you talk me into taking the stupid class again." he said irritably. He didn't think there was a point to the class, especially since his future profession didn't need this class at all. He wasn't going to do anything that involved it.

"Because it's fun. Besides, you could use the fresh air instead of being locked inside all day." She said.

Draco shakes his head as the rest of the class arrives.

"Well gather round ere'." Hagrid calls. All of the kids gather around and they look at Hagrid. "Alright all of you today we'll be learning about Griffin's. Very powerful and majestic creatures. Now if you follow me." He said. The class follows Hagrid. Arriving a few yards into the Forbidden Forest, they all see the powerful Griffin lying on the ground.

"Wow." The class choruses. The class ends an hour and half later and Christi and Draco head toward the dorm since Care of Magical Creatures was their last class. Heading up toward the Great Hall, Christi sees a huge extravagant banner reading _'Go to the Yule Ball with me Christi? Draco'_

"Aww!" she coos, "Draco! Of course I will. I mean, it's kind of expected that we go together because we're dating and all, but I will definitely go with you!" She giggles.

"Well still. I wanted to ask." He says kissing her softly.

"Ahem." They hear from behind them. They pull apart and see Severus standing there. "No public displays of your affection, you two. It's not allowed."

They just go bright red as Blaise comes over. "Hey mate." he says to Draco, "Have you noticed that Beauxbatons girl, Fleur and that she's Veela. Every guy here is swooning over her."

That sparks an idea in Christi's head. "Hey Blaise where's Fleur now?"

"Last I saw heading toward the guest quarters." he shrugged.

"Thanks." She said bolting that way leaving Draco and Blaise confused in her wake. Skidding to a stop, Christi spots Fleur. "Fleur!" she calls. The girl turns and looks at her as she approaches. "Hey can we talk?"

"Oui." She said. They head out to the courtyard and they sit down.

"Okay, I have a major problem." Christi said, rushing into her whole story, "The guy I'm dating, he trusts me to see the true side of him… and the guilt is killing me of keeping a huge secret from him that I'm half Veela! Do you have any ideas or advice on how I could tell him? It's just really stressing me out."

"Oui, zat is a difficult situation."

"Yeah, so any advice on what I should do?" she asks.

"No, I am sorry." Fleur said.

"It's fine."

Fleur nods and the two girls go their separate ways. Heading off to the dungeons, Christi enters the Slytherin Common Room and she smiles when she sees Draco there.

"Hello Love." he greets her.

"Hey, how are you?"

"Fine, just got a letter from my Father inviting me and one guest to dinner tomorrow night. So I figured we'd go and you can formally meet my family."

"What's your family like?" she asks.

"Mother is really loving and comforting. She sends me packages filled with sweets and all kinds of good stuff. Father… Well, Father is someone very proper and cares for order and perfection and can spot someone lying a mile away… as well as someone keeping a secret. But they'll love you like I do. There's nothing about you I don't love. The one thing I love most of all about you is your honesty."

"Umm I'm not really sure." She said. She suddenly worried about her secret being found out at dinner with his family instead of her just telling him.

"Something wrong?" he asks.

"I'm just not sure…" she shrugged, "About meeting your family, that is."

"Please?" he begs using an exceptionally rare pout of his on her.

"Ahh! You know I can't say no to your freaking pout."

"I know." He smirks giving her the signature Malfoy smirk. She rolls her eyes and kisses his cheek.

"So what should I wear?"

"Something formal, something… Something classy and something… Green." he smirked, "My parents love Slytherin pride."

Christi chuckles, "You remember that dress from the Christmas at you place like two years ago?"

"Yea, I love that dress."

"Alright, I'll wear that tomorrow night." She says smiling.

"Good." He said gently pulling her in for a quick snog session. It quickly heats up and he pulls her into his lap holding her close. She pulls back needing to breath.

"Whoa, too fast." She said.

"Sorry." He says breathless. She smiles and gets up and heads to her room to lie down for a little while.

XXX

It was the next evening and Christi and Draco were port keying over to Malfoy Manor and Christi was really nervous. "What if they don't like me?" she asks.

"They'll love you. Don't worry about it." he assures her.

Walking into Malfoy Manor, Christi sighs shakily. She was so nervous and worried that Lucius will pick up on her keeping that she was part Veela a secret.

"Why are you so nervous?" Draco asks.

"Nothing. Just nervous about meeting them."

"It will be fine, Love." He said kissing her softly. "Firewhiskey." He tells her softly before walking into the massive house.

"Firewhiskey, you too." She says as they enter the house. Heading into the sitting area, Draco wraps his arm around Christi's waist.

"Mother, Father?" he calls.

"Draco my sweet boy!" Narcissa says happily as she comes over and hugs him tightly then smiles when she notices Christi. "Oh Draco, she's lovely! She's quite beautiful!"

"Mother, this is Christi Venizelos, my girlfriend of three months."

"Venizelos?" Lucius asks. He has just walked in and picked up on one word of the conversation: the word that meant something. The word that meant blood status, wealth, social status, and everything. The surname, the name and word that classified people. If your surname was one that everyone knew, then that was good. If it was a rich name, a name of somebody of upper class, somebody with a good working status, a good, influential name in the world, well… That was great.

"Yes, sir," Christi nodded, "My father is Demetrios Venizelos, the top lawyer for the Wizengamot."

"Highly admirable man. I like her already Draco." Lucius said. Draco smiles and wraps his arm around her tighter. Maybe his family would like her. Maybe no one would find out her secret until she was ready to tell. Yeah, that'd be great. Maybe every thing would be alright, like Draco said so many times. He was right.


	10. Chapter 10

**WARNING: A whole load of girliness in this chapter! I tried cutting down, I swear, but I'm not good with restraint. If it's not your thing, it stops about halfway down. If it is your thing… Well… Still: ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK.**

* * *

><p>The day of the Yule Ball had finally arrived. Noise filled the castle at breakfast. Excited giggles and nervous jitters were in everyone, boy and girl alike. Everyone was excited for the night, and anticipating it. Everyone was busy getting ready for it too. Everyone was buzzing about their dresses and shoes and hair and makeup-well, the girls anyway. The boys were pretty much just buzzing about whether their dates were good-looking or not.<p>

It was also Christmas day, so everyone was happy about that as well. It wasn't as exciting this year, since the Yule Ball was getting most of the attention. However, in the morning, they all had presents and opened them with friends and wished everyone a Happy Christmas in the hallway.

Then after that, and after breakfast and near lunch, Angelina, Alicia and Patricia collected Caprice from where she was dreamily staring at a frost covering the Lake, and dragged her red, cold-bitten self into the Great Hall for lunch.

"Don't eat much." Alicia warned, "The feast will be big, and you want to save room."

They all nodded, eating small lunches. Caprice walked back up with them to the Gryffindor Tower with only a small salad in her stomach.

They walked up the stairs and into their dormitory, and Alicia took charge immediately.

"Alright, so we've got to shower, do our hair and makeup and then get dressed. We'll go in opposite alphabetical order. Patricia, you go first, then Caprice and then Angelina, and I'll go last. Patricia, make it quick. I have to do your hair first since it'll take the longest, and by the time I'm done Caprice will be out and she can do your makeup."

"What can I do?" Angelina asked.

Alicia looked at her, "Decide what you want for your hair. You still haven't told me."

"I just want it straight." she shrugged.

"I guess I'll use a flatiron on it then. We're doing this entire thing the Muggle way, I'm warning you guys." They all let out groans of protest, and Alicia rolled her eyes, "Big bunch of babies. Just deal with it."

Patricia went to go shower as the girls all pulled out their gowns. Angelina had a nice, popping blue, halter-strapped gown while Alicia had a pale yellow one-shoulder gown. Then Caprice had her own gown, the gold one with beading on the bodice.

"I think Patricia has a red gown." Angelina commented as they all hung up their dresses on the railing for their bed curtains.

"Oh, that's good." Caprice smiled, "Patricia looks so great in red."

"Thank you!" they heard the brunette call from the bathroom.

They got out the rest of their outfits while waiting. Caprice busied herself with making sure everything was right from making sure there were no scuffs on her gold shoes, to putting everything she would need in her small gold evening clutch to severing loose threads on her shawl. Her diamond and gold jewelry shone, she had the right makeup in place for when she needed to do hers and she knew exactly what to instruct Alicia to do with her hair.

She was so busy she didn't realize Patricia was out of the shower until Alicia snapped at her friend, "Well, go shower then!"

Caprice hurried into the hot water and faintly heard Alicia complaining about how there wouldn't be any hot water when she got in.

All Caprice could think about was Fred and George. She loved Fred. She _really, really_ loved Fred. And then they had that fight, but she still loved him. He was just jealous and… they both said some things they shouldn't have. They both said things they regretted. They both hurt each other that day, and they both regretted everything.

Caprice could just tell by the way he looked at her during the day. He had a strange, longing look on his face every time he saw her. His face was always torn up with guilt and pressure and sadness. It was like he was angry with himself, but all he really showed was how bad he yearned for her. He desired her and she ached for him. And they both knew it. They both were aware of the mutual feelings.

So why didn't they get together? That's simple-they were with other friends now. Fred was sort of together with Angelina, but she wasn't too into it-Caprice knew that. And Caprice was still best friends with George.

Their relationship hadn't changed much except they got a lot closer in their friendship. They told each other everything now. George knew Caprice still wanted Fred and Caprice knew all George's secrets. They talked all the time now, and it felt like their other friends were sort of jealous.

But Caprice really wished she could have Fred, but some things just don't work out that well, now do they?

Caprice got out of the shower soon. She rubbed her hair down with a towel real fast and then wrapped it around her body. Angelina went in immediately after Caprice, who went straight to her bureau and then behind her bed curtains to dress quickly in a tank top and a pair of short shorts.

She emerged and saw Alicia working on Patricia's hair already. She was doing it in a pretty French braid. Caprice sat down in front of Patricia and started asking her about what makeup she wanted.

It was something to keep her mind off of her feelings for Fred.

However, she couldn't help but think about them as she did a flawless job on Patricia's makeup job-smoky eyes and red lips. It was a shock that Caprice hadn't messed up with the way her mind had been wandering. If she had been any more out of it, Caprice would have dragged the eyeliner pencil across her cheek, probably. She sure would get a lot of rubbish for that. Good thing it didn't happen.

Alicia started on Caprice's hair next. In its natural state, her hair was curly, long and black. It was quite thick, too. So Caprice wanted Alicia to play up her curls a bit, make them bigger by whatever means were necessary (in this case straightening it with a flatiron and then putting her locks in hot rollers), and then after they were done in the hot rollers, Alicia planned to pin it to one side of her head and let the curls fall gracefully down her shoulders.

In the meantime, Alicia showered and Caprice did Angelina's makeup-very subtle and classy, since anything bold and bright would contrast with her dark skin tone. She really just tried to make Angelina look natural and bronzy, and make her lips glossy and big. She knew Fred appreciated not a lot of makeup, but natural features.

After Alicia got out of the shower and quickly did her own hair in a nice bun atop her head (something none of them wanted her to do because she always had her hair pulled back, but she simply would not listen to their protests), Alicia started straightening Angelina's hair rapidly, trying to get it done in time.

It was almost time for the Ball to start, and they all had to hurry up. So Caprice quickly did her own makeup-gold eye makeup and long eyelashes, and nude lips. She tried doing Alicia's while Alicia finished Angelina's hair, but she brushed Caprice aside so she could finish her curly hairstyle.

But once everything was done, they sure did look nice. They looked beautiful and charming. They were like princesses, transformed for the Ball.

Last minute things still had to be done though, like inspections, the plucking of eyebrows, covering of blemishes and large pores and getting hairspray onto loose hairs, sprits of strong-smelling perfume and making sure makeup wouldn't smudge by use of clever magic. But after all that, and getting dressed and desperately trying to get other people to zip up your dress and strap on your shoes, and asking if they looked okay or if they seemed fat or whatever else…

They looked enchanting.

XXX

Christi, on the other hand, didn't take that long to get ready. While she did get ready with all her girlfriends, all she needed was some simple makeup-pink eye makeup and her lips a peachy color-and her hair curled and pinned at the crown of her head.

It didn't take her long to get ready, but then it was time for her to help others get ready. Helping Pansy do her hair full of waves and making Daphne's ash blonde hair-much different from her little sister's dark brown hair-sleek and straight and helping Tracey put her hair into a classy bun, and then getting Millicent's less-than-feminine brown locks to be nice and pretty.

"So, Christi," Pansy started from where she was doing her makeup.

"Hmm?" Christi answered dreamily. She was sitting on her bed, fiddling with the straps of her silver shoes as something to do. All she could think about was Draco, and her growing feelings for him.

She was beginning to feel something stronger than the fervent like she felt for him, something stronger than 'Firewhiskey'. She was beginning to almost love him. He was so sweet and kind and romantic. He didn't pressure her and he didn't make her uncomfortable. He was never harsh or mean with her, and his parents loved her too. She didn't know what could be better, if anything could.

The only thing was Christi didn't know how to tell Draco she was part-Veela. He might break up with her if she tells him because she'd been keeping a secret for so long. And if she never tells him… Well, then she would always feel guilty. And she didn't want either of those. It was pretty unlikely that he would just simply understand and things would be normal. No, he would definitely react in some way.

"Wow, you must be out of it." Pansy said, and Christi looked up to see her smirking. "Really in love with Draco, huh?"

"I think it may just be love." Christi smiled.

"Well, girls, I think we may really have lost Christi."

"Lost me?" Christi asked, not paying much attention.

"You're in dream land all the time." Tracey smirked from where she was plucking her strawberry-blonde eyebrows. They were more strawberry than blonde, but she didn't like to be called a redhead.

"Really, Chris." Daphne complained, "It's like we're losing you to some sort of fluffy, marshmallow world in which nothing goes wrong."

"A fluffy, marshmallow world where you and Draco rule, and have lots of fluffy kisses and ssay lots of fluffy 'I love you's' to each other." Millicent said, and they all giggled. Christi rolled her eyes.

"You aren't losing me. I spend enough time with you, don't I?"

"Well of course you do." they nodded, and Tracey said, "But you're never really with us-mentally that is. You're always dreaming of Draco."

"I'll stop." Christi said.

Pansy rolled her eyes, "You won't. You can't help it."

"Then quit bothering me about it." she snapped.

She all went wide-eyed and Daphne said, "Jeez, we're sorry. We were only bringing it up."

Christi sighed, and apologized, "I'm sorry…"

"It's in the past." Millicent shrugged, "Excited for tonight?"

Christi nodded, "Very. What about you guys? Tracey, you and Nott." she smirked.

Tracey blushed, "Yeah, Theodore said he has a surprise for me tonight." she smiled. Tracey and Theodore Nott had been dating the past few weeks. They were going pretty fast in their relationship.

"Ooh…" Daphne said, "Miles says tonight's gonna be great."

Miles Bletchley had asked Daphne to the Ball. Blaise Zabini had asked Pansy a week before and was a bit clingy. They spent a lot of time together. And lastly, Marcus Flint had surprisingly asked Millicent right after it was announced. The older boy asking her out had Millicent's confidence skyrocketing.

"Well, it's about time for us to go down and meet the guys in the common room." Tracey said a little bit later. They all got last-minutes things ready like the checking of hair and makeup in small mirrors and making sure their dresses weren't dirty.

They walked down the staircase into the common room one by one. They each stepped onto the landing and then walked over to their dates. Each guy dropped his jaw at the sight of their girls, and took her arm willingly and kissed her on the cheek. Draco smiled and Christi when she came down and gave her a quick kiss on the lips, too.

"You look beautiful, darling." he told her. Christi surveyed him. He wore classy black dress robes and his hair was slicked back sophisticatedly.

"You do, too." she smiled, "Very handsome."

"Well, let's get going then. It's starting soon." he suggested, and they all left the common room by couples to go down to the Ball.

XXX

"Caprice, I don't think I've told you how magnificent you look." George told her as they walked over to the other champions and their dates.

Caprice smiled, "You have, quite a few times. Thank you, again. And you look quite charming yourself. You clean up good."

He chuckled, "I thought I would put a lot of effort into this."

"I appreciate it, George."

He smiled, "Well I wouldn't have asked you and then been all sloppy about my appearance, now would I?"

She shrugged, "No, you aren't the type I guess."

He smiled at her, "I think you're the most beautiful girl here."

Caprice blushed, "Thanks." she said lowly, and they stopped in front of McGonagall. Fleur was with Roger Davies and Viktor's date had yet to get there. Harry and his date weren't even there yet.

"Ahh, Miss Venizelos." McGonagall greeted the champion, "Here you are. Come now, get in line with the others. Have you seen Mr. Potter?"

Caprice shook her head and got in line. McGonagall left and they went out of formation a minutes later so they could talk to each other.

"So, Viktor, who's your date?" George asked conversationally.

"You will see." he said, "She is beautiful, I will say that."

"What school does she go to?" Caprice asked.

"Hogwarts." he said. He looked at the stairway and sighed, "There she is."

They all turned to see Hermione Granger walking down. Her hair was less frizzy and pinned up nicely. She wore beautiful frilly robes. She looked stunning, simply stunning.

"Whoa." George muttered, "Granger got Krum? How?"

Caprice smiled at Hermione as she came up and joined Viktor. Harry and Parvati Patil came over a minute later, and then the doors opened.

"You remember the dance steps?" Caprice asked, facing George. He nodded and took her waist as all the others did. They got into position and then the music started. They glided along the dance floor gracefully. They spun and twirled and did the dance beautifully. As all the other couples joined in, George messed up a bit more but Caprice smiled at him adorably, and they laughed it off.

After the song ended, they sat down quickly just to catch their breath. George went to get Caprice and himself a drink and met Fred in the line.

"Hello, mate." George greeted his brother.

"Hey, George." Fred said, not looking at his twin.

"Angelina looks pretty."

Fred smiled and nodded, "Thanks. So does Caprice." he paused and then said, "How'd that feel?"

"How did what feel?"

"You know. Dancing with a champion. Dancing with Caprice. Being the center of attention, all that."

"Well I doubt everyone in the room was looking at me… I wasn't the center of attention."

"You were with one of them though."

George smiled half-heartedly at his brother, "It was nice, Fred. You know… She still wants you. She loves you, you know."

"And I love her to… God, I was so dumb to lose her."

George sighed, not knowing what to do about his brother's sadness, "She really misses you."

"I miss her too… Brother," he looked at George with a hint of mischief in his eyes, "You don't suppose you could… Help me out, could you?"

"What about Angelina?"

"Well, Angelina has been sort of prodding for me to get back with Caprice. Angelina and I were never _really_ together anyways. Not like a couple."

George nodded, "I'll see what I can do." He grabbed two glasses and brought them back to Caprice. She downed it in one drink, and smiled at him.

"What were you and Fred talking about?" she asked.

George shrugged, "Nothing important. Wanna dance again?"

She nodded, "Of course."

XXX

After a few songs of restless dancing, they sat down again at a table with their friends. Both Fred and George had notice a few boys fawning over Caprice several times. They had called her beautiful and practically drooled over her. Quite a few boys had done that, actually. It was getting on Fred's nerves. However, George had only smiled at it.

"Seems I'm not the only one who thinks your dashing."

She had been slightly uneasy about it, but no one pointed it out. However, everyone had noticed a bit. They all had ignored it though, since she seemed to be doing that.

"Angelina," George said, "Care for a dance?"

Fred, Angelina, George and Caprice were the only ones left at the table when he said this. All the others were dancing. Angelina knew what George was trying to do, so she nodded, "Of course, George." she smiled. George led her to the dance floor but looked back at Fred and Caprice with a meaningful look.

Fred was looking at Caprice, who was inspecting her long, manicured nails.

"Caprice." he said. She looked up and stared at him. "Caprice, can I talk to you?"

She shrugged and said, "Sure."

"Can we talk outside, preferably?"

Caprice nodded and stood up. She wrapped her shawl tighter around her shoulders and followed him outside. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Caprice, I'm do sorry."

He heart sped up and her eyes widened, "What?"

"For how I acted. I was jealous and terrible and a monster. I shouldn't have called you those names. I regret it so much, Caprice, I'm so sorry."

She sighed and sat down on the ledge, "I forgive you, if you forgive me as well. We both said some things that day, and I regret what I said."

"I forgive you." he said, and kissed her cheek. He sat next to her, quite close. She turned her face to look at him. Her eyes were filled with so many emotions-happiness ad sadness, and the lingering of longing and he didn't know why it was there.

"Could we possibly…" she said slowly, "Go back… You know-"

She was cut off by his lips on hers. He kissed her passionately and slowly. It was romantic and loving and all of that. It was filled with a desire and a sort of… hurriedness, as if he was making up for the times he had missed kissing her the past few weeks. She kissed back just as yearningly.

The kiss was cut short by Snape. He was standing a few feet away with Igor Karkaroff, Durmstrang's headmaster, glaring at them. "Weasley, Venizelos!" he snapped, "Get back inside! And fifty points from Gryffindor!"

They went back inside after a short glaring match. They danced slowly for a while before going to sit with their friends, who were promptly informed of their makeup. George and Lee made a few crude jokes about makeup sex, and then it felt like everything was pretty much back to normal.


	11. Chapter 11

Walking along in the hallway Harry, Christi, Ron and Hermione were all talking to each other. Hermione was scolding Harry for not yet figuring out the egg. Christi and Ron were laughing at him getting an ear lashing. Every now and then she turns and glares at them. Usually, they quickly stop but then burst out laughing again as she turns and goes right back to it.

Caprice walked up behind her sister and her friends. She sighed and tried to get Harry's attention, "Both you shut up and stop laughing!" she exploded, "Harry can I talk to you for a second?" He nods and they both walk off and she looks over at him. "I never really thanked you for giving me the heads up about the dragon in the first task."

"Not a problem. So what did you want to talk about?"

"Well… Erm…" She didn't know how to tell him, "Uhh… I just find the Prefect's bathroom on the fifth floor a good place for a bath. The passowrd is Pine Fresh-found that out from Diggory- Oh, and bring your egg." She said cryptically then walks away leaving Harry confused in her wake.

He frown and goes back over to his three friends. He was very confused on what she meant by all of that. "Your sister just gave me a strange message." He says.

"Well you'll figure it out. I'm sure she did it for a good reason." Christi said. The quartet continue walking along then Christi looks and sees Draco leaning against a wall with one leg perched against it. Pansy was standing by him, laughing and giggling and twirling her hair-all the classic signs of flirting.

Christi snorts and goes over to them. She stood right in between them glaring deadly at Pansy. If looks could kill, Pansy surely would have dropped dead. "What the bloody hell do you think you're doing Parkinson?"

"What does it look like? I'm talking to Draco!"

"More like flirting. Back off right now."

"I don't need to back off because we weren't doing anything in the first place."

"You were flirting with my boyfriend! So, I suggest that you kindly back off before I make you!" she growls. At that moment she was having an incredibly hard time controlling her temper.

"We weren't doing anything." Draco said, supporting Pansy.

She whips around and snorts. "Like hell you weren't! You were flirting right back. I should have known. The nickname fits you well, Slytherin Playboy. It is exactly what you are." She hisses and shoves passed both of them. She heads off down the hallway, fighting tears.

She heads back to the dorms right away. She gets back into the girls dorm and she heads right up to her room. She lies down and quickly closed her curtains shut with enough force to rip them, which she nearly did.

Daphne comes in and calls out for her. "Christi? You in here?"

Christi sighs and takes down all the charms and sticks her head out. "Hey Daph."

"You okay? I heard what happened."

"I guess. I just should've known that he really didn't like me. He only liked me because..." she trails off before she says to much.

"Because what?"

Christi sighs and flicks her wand and shuts the door and puts wards up so that nobody can get in or hear what they're saying.

"That serious?" Daphne raises her eyebrows.

"Yeah. What I am about to say to you is major. I need you to keep it a huge secret from everyone."

"Alright." Daphne agrees.

Christi sighs and chews her lower lip and says, "I'm half Veela. That's the only reason why he liked me so much."

"Whoa… I was not expecting that! But Christi, the way he looks at you, it's not lustful like all the other guys here. The way he looks at you, its loving."

"I guess."

"You guess?" she says raising an eye brow.

"Alright, I know. Jeez, Mum!" she laughs lightly.

Daphne was like the mother of the group of them. If they ever had a problem they could always go to her for the help and every time she helped or even scolded them they would call her mum as a joke between all of them.

"You're such a pain!" Daphne laughs hugging her friend.

"But that is why you love me." She laughs.

Daphne rolls her eyes just laughing. "Come on, lets go grab lunch."

Christi nods and follows Daphne down to Great Hall. Getting into the Great Hall Christi and Daphne go and sit at the far end of the table and start picking out what they want for lunch.

"Draco looks like a sad lost puppy without you." Daphne commented quietly.

"He should've thought about that before he flirted with Pansy. I just need time to cool off. Because right now I'm really angry at him." She said picking at some chicken she put on her plate.

Tracey comes over and joins them and she looks at Christi. "You alright?"

"I guess. Where's Milley?" she asked about Millicent.

"She's uhh siding with Pansy that she didn't do anything." Tracey said.

"Oh. She can do what she wants, but I guess I know who my real friends are." She says smiling.

"Draco's an arse Christi. He was stupid to flirt with her. Don't let him get you down." Tracey says.

"Thanks Tracey."

"Sure thing."

The three girls sit there chatting animatedly about everything from the Durmstrang boys to the assignment Snape gave to rumors of the happenings at the Yule Ball, all the way to what the next task would be.

Every now and then Christi would look over at Draco from the corner of her eye and just see how down trodden he looks like a sad puppy. She sighs and goes back to eating her food. She just picked at it. She was not really hungry after getting a good look at Draco.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Daphne asks.

"I don't know. I'm just upset and just want to know what was going through his head when he was flirting with her."

"He's a stupid guy. Just ignore him for right now and don't worry about him." Daphne said.

Christi smiles and hugs her friend. The three of them all get up and head down to the dungeons for Double Potions with each other. Getting to Potions they all go and take their seats and the rest of the class flies in and Draco comes in and takes a seat next to Christi. She starts flipping through her potions book ignoring him.

Draco sighs and grabs his book then starts reading it to get an understanding of the chapter they were going to be discussing in the class that day. The rest of the day passes uneventful. Draco goes and heads into the common room and sees Christi sitting on the couch with her sketch pad in her lap sketching.

"Christi." He says softly. She just ignores him and continues sketching. "Come on Christi, please listen to me! I really don't want to have to go through Caprice just to get you to talk to me! She terrifies me. Please, talk to me. Please!" She just continues to ignore him.

He sighs and leaves the common room in search for Caprice. Finding her heading back to the Gryffindor common room with Fred (or was it George? He could never tell…), he calls to her. "Caprice!" he calls over to her to her attention.

She turns and looks over him. "What do you want, Malfoy?" she asks.

He sighs and scratches the back of his neck then says, "Your sister is livid at me right now and refuses to speak to me. She thinks I was flirting with Pansy but I wasn't. I was just talking to her but she was the one doing all the flirting. I was just ignoring it. Is there some way you can talk to her and get her to talk to me?"

"I have no control over my sister's actions. Go whoo her or something. I suggest with chocolates and lilies... And a poetic verse from Shakespeare or Robert Frost or something."

"Can't you talk to her or something? I mean she'll listen to you."

"Sorry." She said shrugging.

"Alright, thanks anyway."

Caprice nods as Draco walks away. Draco stuffs his hands in his pockets and walks down the hallway thinking of how he can get Christi to listen to him. He heads to the Owlery to go to his Eagle Owl to send a letter to his mother asking for help in what to do. He just wanted things to be fine between them and not have her mad at him.

And then he got a great idea.

He vaguely remembered something Christi had mentioned to him a while back. It was something about an American Muggle poet named Maya Angelou. He remembered her saying about her favorite poem-Touched by an Angel. And before that, she told him her favorite flowers were sweet peas. And her favorite type of chocolate was Honeydukes's dark caramel chocolates.

Yes, that was it.


	12. Chapter 12

"Harry, you have got to focus!" Hermione exclaimed. It was the night before the Second Task, and Harry still didn't know what to do. The four of them-Harry, Hermione, Ron and Christi-were all in the library since Harry had gotten permission from McGonagall to use the restricted section for this. They were trying to find something-anything-that Harry could use.

All three of them had suggested many things to Harry, all of which was either forbidden or he would not be able to do them. Ron had suggested summoning an aqualung from a near Muggle town, but Hermione said it would get him disqualified, breaking the International Code of Wizard Secrecy. Christi suggested Transfiguring a rock into an air tank, but Hermione said that the air in it would run out too quickly, especially if he was Transfiguring it. Many other things had been suggested, all of which Hermione had found something wrong with.

"Well what's you sister doing?" Harry finally asked Christi.

Christi thought for a moment, then said, "I think she said something about transforming her lungs to gills so she could breathe, or something like that. She said she was working with both Flitwick and McGonagall to accomplish it. I take that it's gonna be really special and complicated."

Harry looked sort of disappointed, "Oh, okay. So, what else?"

"How about a snorkel?" Ron proposed.

Hermione sighed irately, and rolled her eyes. "Ronald," she started like she usually did when she wanted to explain something simple to him. She continued slowly, "Snorkels are only for when you are close to the surface. Harry will be deep underwater."

Ron grumbled a bit before going back to searching through his book, "Not like I would know…" he muttered.

"Harry, maybe you should-no, that's too advanced…" Hermione said, muttering the last part, "Well actually, you could do something like… No, that would get you disqualified if it didn't kill you…"

"Yes, maybe we should refrain from anything very dangerous for Harry." Christi said lightly.

Hermione didn't even looked up before going on, "Or you could… Actually, that wouldn't last even an hour… And this other one would last far too long, you'd have to be in water for over a day."

"Wouldn't want to do that." Harry said, "I've never actually learned to swim."

"Harry, you've never learned to swim?" Hermione asked frightfully, "Well how will you accomplish the task then?"

Harry shrugged, "Can't be that hard."

"Well it isn't after you've learned!" Hermione said, "I took classes young, so I know how to."

Ron added, "For me it was swim or drown, with my brothers."

Christi shrugged, "We just had a big lake in our backyard, sort of. It didn't occur to me to learn how, so much as follow Caprice around in the water."

"Well…" Harry said, at a loss for words, "One more thing to worry about isn't that bad."

Hermione wouldn't have any of that though, "No, Harry, you have to learn how to swim."

"Before tomorrow?" Christi scoffed, "Hermione, you know very well it takes a while to learn how to swim. First eight times I tried on my own, Caprice had to come and rescue me!"

Hermione nodded, "Maybe we could Charm it into you."

Ron snorted, "Yeah, like there's really a way to do that…"

"Well maybe we could just cover the basics with you!"

Christi chuckled, "Yes, Harry, just paddle your arms and kick your legs and try not to worry about breathing too much!"

Harry smiled and said, "Well that draws us back to the question of how I'm going to breathe underwater for an hour."

"Right!" Hermione exclaimed, "We must quit getting sidetracked!"

"You started it, Herms." Christi giggled. Hermione briefly glared at Christi before getting back to flipping through the pages of a large book with chunks of the binding missing.

"How about… no… How about! Wait, no… But how's this? No, that won't work… Why don't you try-no… We could always-no! But then there's the-"

"You're gonna say no again, Hermione!" Christi exclaimed.

Hermione looked at the page, ignoring Christi, "That won't work either…"

"Hermione, unless you know something will work for sure, don't say anything!" Ron said sharply.

Hermione looked at him angrily, but stayed quiet throughout the rest of the time they were flipping through books.

Fred and George interrupted them though.

"Oi! Granger, we need you to come with us!" Fred said with authority.

"McGonagall needs you." George said.

"You too, Venizelos."

"Don't call my sister by her last name, do you?" Christi muttered.

Fred smirked and said, "Not in-"

George interrupted him, "Best not to scar the girlfriend's little sister. Ron, we need you too."

"Why do you need us?" Ron asked immediately.

"We're helping Harry!" Hermione protested.

"Sorry." Fred said.

George nodded, "McGonagall's orders, we must follow."

"So just quit whining and come with us."

George said a word of goodbye to Harry, "Good luck, Harry!"

Fred nodded, "We'll be cheering for you!"

George agreed, "That is, when we aren't cheering for Capricia."

"She doesn't like being called that." Christi informed him.

Fred and George both smirked again, "Exactly!" and then, "Bye, Harry!"

"Bye, guys." Harry said wearily. Then they left. So Harry was left to search by himself, and unfortunately, he fell right asleep.

XXX

Fred stood with his arms wrapped around his girlfriend's waist. He had his head nuzzled in her neck and was lightly kissing the beautiful, pale flesh there. They stood outside, amongst so many people but did not care. They didn't care about the bitter winter cold. They didn't care about the dozens of people watching. They only cared about each other.

"You gonna be alright, Capri?" Fred asked softly against her ear.

Caprice nodded slightly and smiled, "I'll be fine, Fred. Don't worry about me."

"Can't help it. It's freezing out, and you'll be underwater. Under the water with mean merpeople and Grindylows and the Giant Squid!"

"I could take on the Giant Squid." Caprice defended herself.

Fred chuckled, but nodded. "And what about those mermaids and mermen? They're nasty little creatures."

Caprice nodded, "Well, I think I can handle them."

"Hope so." he said protectively, which made her smile. His grip tightened around her as several Durmstrang boys passed them, looking at Caprice appreciatively while Fred glared threateningly back.

"Calm down, love." Caprice told him. Champions were then called to the starting positions, and students were asked to sit down.

"I love you." he said sincerely.

She smiled and kissed him on the lips quickly, but he held her there. Caprice said, "I love you, too." before having to leave, "By the way, have you seen Christi? Haven't seen her all day, and she should be here."

He shook his head, "Brought her to McGonagall's last night, along with Ron and Hermione. Dunno what McGonagall did with them."

Caprice sighed and shrugged, "I'm sure she's here. Probably with her skulking friends, somewhere."

Fred smiled at her, and then she left to join the other champions at the judges' table. Harry was there last, late as always. He had run there, and was out of breath. On top of that, he looked like he had a bad night, like he had just woken up.

Caprice leaned over and murmured, "Harry, you look terrible."

He nodded, but didn't get the chance to say anything more, since Bagman was know placing them all ten feet apart. Caprice was at one end while Harry was at the other, so she couldn't talk to him.

With a _Sonorus_, Bagman's voice suddenly boomed out, "Well, all our champions are ready for the second task, which will start on my whistle. They have precisely an hour to recover what has been taken from them. On the count of three, then. One… Two… _Three_!"

Caprice dove in, getting far enough from the shore to fully engulf herself in the icy water. The chill of it made her skin ache, since she was only wearing a pair of women's swimming shorts and a short sleeved swimming shirt. This was more than she would wear at home to swim, but she usually didn't swim in the wintertime.

Suddenly, her lungs were aching for air, and then she knew she had to do the spell at that moment. She had her wand in her hand, and pointed it at her neck and muttered the spell that McGonagall and Flitwick had taught her. And then she felt slits forming in her neck. Her lungs no longer worked, but instead she was breathing in water for oxygen through gills on her neck.

At that moment, all was quiet. Caprice had finally gone deep enough under the water to silence the screams and cheers of people above. She saw nothing but green seaweed for as far as she could see ahead. All was still, and no one was there to make noise.

Silence.

Then something gripped her.

"Ahh!" she screamed, though it came out as bubbles. She looked down to see Grindylows gripping her feet, trying to pull her into the seaweed.

Caprice pointed her wand at them and said, "Confundus!"

She didn't want to actually hurt them-only make them let go. They did, and sat there, floating in mid water. Caprice swam away quickly, swimming for a long, long time. She was seeing the same things over and over again, though she couldn't be sure. All seaweed looked the same. But it was all she was seeing. She was taking random lefts and rights, and she was all over the place.

Finally, she heard something like voices.

It was the song from the egg.

"_An hour long you'll have to look, and to recover what we took…"_

Caprice almost stopped just to be sure the song wouldn't go away, but kept on going instead. The song continued, but different, _"Your time's half gone, so tarry not, Lest what you seek stays here to rot…"_

This bit brought back her thinking of what the objects could be. Caprice had a lot of objects, but not many that she couldn't live with out. She had some that meant more than anything to her, like a few inherited pieces of jewelry, or some silly little lucky charms that she depended on, but she didn't know what else there could be.

It took a long time to realize she wasn't lost, but going forward. Eventually, Caprice suddenly began to swim into what looked like a merpeople village. There were simple stone houses, stained with algae, and had dark windows that had merpeople peering out at her. They were all mean looking creatures, disturbing in appearance and giving off a certain feeling of gloom. They all had grey skin with yellow eyes and teeth, and wild hair that matched the color of the seaweed.

Caprice didn't look at any of them in the eyes or for too long. There were mermaids in the lake at her house, but not these kinds. The mermaids she knew were pretty, with long blonde hair and pale skin, red lips and shiny, pretty tails instead of the sleek silver ones that these merpeople had. The mermaids that Caprice knew were nice, too, unlike other sirens. These mermaids didn't try to seduce anyone or be evil and nasty. They were kindhearted, and normal for the most part.

Glancing around, Caprice thought she saw the thick, muscular legs of Krum, and occasionally the sleek blonde hair of Fleur. She couldn't be sure though, until each of them emerged o either side of her. Krum had transformed his head into that of a shark. He looked beastly, very scary. Fleur had used the bubblehead charm, and was going as fast as she could. Caprice swam straight ahead, going as fast as she could, which was apparently faster than them. She left them in her dust, and didn't know what happened to them next.

The music was growing louder now, and then Caprice came upon a village square sort of area. Houses lines it and merpeople were all around. A chorus of merpeople were singing the egg's song, calling for champions. A large stone statue showed a gigantic merperson. Tied to his tail were four people, and another person was floating in front of them. She swam forward to where she saw Harry. The four prisoners were Hermione, Ron, Christi and a young girl with silvery blonde hair.

Harry had gotten Ron's rope free with a sharp rock, and it looked like he wanted to free Hermione, too. Harry finally sensed Caprice's presence and looked at her.

"I got lost!" she mouthed sheepishly. "Krum and Fleur are coming!"

Caprice grabbed a hold of Christi's rope and cut it with a Severing Charm. Caprice swam with her sister upwards, and soon the people below were out of sight. Several Grindylows tried to grab Caprice's feet on the way up, but she was too quick for them-she repelled them before they even grabbed hold.

Caprice got to the shore quickly, and did the anti-charm for the gills. She breathed in several breaths of fresh air, and then started moving to the shore. Christi was awake now, and moving with Caprice.

"What happened, Capri?" Christi asked dazedly.

"You were my treasure and I rescued you." Caprice smiled proudly as they stepped onto dry land. Fred was there with a large fluffy towel for Caprice, while Draco and Pansy stood there, awaiting Christi.

Christi smiled at Caprice and said, "Thanks."

"Well I couldn't have very well left you there." Caprice smiled and hugged Christi. Christi went over to Pansy and Draco, and Pansy flung herself on her.

"Christi! I am so sorry!"

Christi hugged back and said, "So am I."

"I thought you were in so much danger!" Pansy said, pulling back to look at her friend, "I thought I would never see you again!"

Christi just pulled Pansy into another hug. After they finished reuniting, Christi turned to Draco.

"I'm sorry, Chris." he said sincerely. Christi pulled him into a hug and kissed him on the lips. He kissed back lovingly, and didn't stop for a while. When they pulled back, Christi smiled at him, and he smiled back. That was all the words they needed.

Meanwhile, Fred and Caprice were watching with amusement in their looks. Caprice chuckled and turned away, accepting the towel from Fred. She wrapped it around herself while Fred wrapped his arm around her waist, even though she was still wet. Fred kissed her cheek and said, "You did awesome, Caprice."

From the stands, not very far away, Caprice heard loud, prominent cheering. It tuned out everyone else, and stuck out from the rest, and she saw it was her friends-George, Lee, Alicia, Angelina and Patricia.

"Well done, Caprice!" Lee and George bellowed at the same time. Caprice ran over to all of them and hugged them.

"Did I come in first?" she asked, looking around to see none of the other champions were there yet. Well, it made sense. All the hostages were there when she arrived, and she didn't see anyone surpass her when coming up.

"Of course you did, you're brilliant!" George exclaimed.

Caprice smiled happily, and then Madame Pomfrey came along. She made sure Caprice was wrapped tightly in a blanket, and then gave Caprice a potion to drink. Caprice had learned to never question Madame Pomfrey and just take the potions she gives. As she drank the boiling hot potion, steam gushed out her ears.

"Ow…" Caprice whined quietly afterwards, rubbing her head.

She watched as Krum arrived with Hermione, who got the same treatment as her, and then Fleur showed up. It had gone outside the time limit-she had taken too long. Caprice watched with mild interest as Fleur was calmed down by her French friends, and treated by Madame Pomfrey.

Harry was last to show, with both Ron and that other girl, who Caprice now could tell was Fleur's sister. Fleur was frantic when they arrived, and they overheard Harry talking with Hermione and Ron about how the song wasn't serious-they wouldn't have left the people there to die. Harry was feeling stupid, but when Caprice sensed Fred's lips on hers, she forgot all about it.

When Caprice started kissing back, Fred pulled away. Caprice let out a small whine of disapproval, but Fred smiled at her. "Finally you wake up. You've been zoned out for the past five minutes."

Caprice blushed, "Sorry… Just, err, thinking."

Fred chuckled and tightened his grip around her waist. Right then, Caprice felt so happy. She didn't think anything could go bad. Come June, she would be proved wrong.


	13. Chapter 13

June had come around and everyone was in the stands cheering on their favorite champion for the Tournament. Christi and Draco were standing together. He was standing behind her with his arms wrapped around her. Every now and then he would sneer at all the Durmstrang or Beauxbatons boys for ogling Christi like a piece of meat.

"Draco, stop. Just ignore them." Christi tells him.

"I can't. They're… looking at you."

She chews her lower lip as they all watch the four champions enter the giant maze. Christi worried for her sister as she knew there was a lot of dangerous stuff in that maze and there were chances that she could be killed.

"Love, please just ignore them. There are reasons for their staring." She said dropping him a hint hopefully it got etched into his head and made him think.

"What reason do they have when our relationship is public?"

She sighs and says, "Because I'm half Veela." She says just barely above a whisper.

"Repeat that I didn't hear you."

"I said it's because I'm half Veela. So that's why they're all staring at me. I'm sorry I didn't tell you before, but I was just too nervous… I'm so sorry. You've trusted me enough to show me you're true side but I never told you about this until now. I'm so sorry."

Draco just stares at her wide eyed.

"No way." He says.

She nods and chews her lower lip then looks back out to the maze, worried about her sister and his reaction. She wasn't sure if she wanted to see his reaction when it sunk in if it turned out badly.

XXX

Running through the maze, Caprice hated it. It scared her and that wasn't easy but this maze was bloody well terrifying. She just wanted to get out and fast. Every time she made a turn it was almost always a dead end then she'd have to turn around go and again. She was getting flustered and annoyed.

She didn't want to give up but she was close to it. She was starting to wonder why she even entered the Tournament anyway.

She reaches up and wipes the sweat off her brow and keeps running through the maze. She was dirty from getting wrapped up in vines that sprouted from the ground and pulled her into the dirt. She used the burning charm to burn the vines off her and she had gotten back up and kept on going.

Looking over to her right, she notices Viktor about to hex Harry. She jumps in and blocks the hex.

"Thanks." Harry pants.

"Not a problem." she gasped as he helped her up.

At that moment, they both see the cup and make a run for it. Caprice trips and falls at the last moment, and before Harry sees, he reaches the cup first. He grabs it then all of the sudden when Caprice looks up, she sees him being whisked away by the cup in a spiral.

She gapes, wide eyed. She had no idea it would be a Portkey. Though, using her head, it probably transported him to the outside of the maze.

Caprice shoots up red sparks and a few moments later, she's sent out of the maze. Christi looks up and sees Caprice empty handed. She sees her sister looking around in confusion and read her lips as she asked somebody "Where's Harry?"

"Shoot… She had to give up." Christi says mainly to herself.

Draco had just stayed silent. He still wasn't sure on what to say about her being half Veela. Yes, it was a very big shock to him. He wanted to know why she had hid it from him for so long. But now it all made sense of why guys were always looking her even when she was in sweats and a t-shirt.

He just wasn't sure on how he should react. She had hid something major from him when he had shown her the true side of him without all the walls, mask and persona he used on a daily basis. He couldn't understand of why she hid it from him. She could have trusted him with that secret as he wouldn't have told another soul.

Everyone starts murmuring wondering where Harry was as Caprice goes and gets checked out, then joins the crowd and sits next to her sister. Christi was watching and wondering where Harry was as well. Caprice looks over and sees that both Christi and Draco seem really quiet and that worried her but she goes back to watch the maze. A few moments later out of the corner of her eye, she sees Draco pull back and move away from Christi. After seeing him do that Christi shivers lightly at the breeze picking up and she slips her arms around herself, sighing.

Caprice moves over to where her sister was and goes and sits by her. "Knut for your thoughts?" Caprice asks.

"I'm in a load of trouble when we get home." Mutters Christi.

"Tell me why." demands Caprice.

"I kind of told two people our huge secret."

Caprice didn't react badly and said quietly, "Can they be trusted to keep it a secret?"

"I know of once of them can. The second, as of right now, I have no idea."

Caprice looked at her, furrowing her eyebrows, "Let me guess, it's Draco?" Christi nods. "Well just go and talk to him and make sure he knows it needs to be kept secret or else."

Christi nods and sighs. Soon after, Harry comes back looking as white as a sheet. He was shaking and he was yelling that Voldemort was back repeatedly.

Everyone looked at each other and all paled visibly. People start freaking out at the prospect of Voldemort being back. Others scoffed and said he was lying. They were just denying the truth though.

Soon after, Harry was taken away, and everyone was sent to their common rooms.

Heading into the Slytherin Common Room, Christi sees Draco sitting on one of the sofa's reading a book.

"Hey Draco can we talk?" Christi asks hesitantly chewing her lower lip nervously.

"Sure."

"I need to talk to you privately."

Draco shrugged and led her up to his dormitory so that no one in the Common Room would hear them.

"What I told you at the final task… you really need to keep it to yourself because if it gets around school, Caprice and I will never be left alone. Please promise me that you'll keep this to yourself."

Draco frowned, "Of course I'll keep it to myself. What do you think, that I'm such a prick I'd do that to you?" he snaps.

He was still upset that she had kept that from him after he had told her about him, like not wanting to follow in his father's footsteps. He let her see the person who he was behind the mask and persona he wore while at school.

"No! It's just that if all the guys in the school find out that I'm an unmarked Veela woman they'll be all over me in a matter of seconds. Merlin, Draco, I think I might be bloody damn well falling in love with you and I don't want to lose that and this is all scaring me! I was bloody damn well scared of this happening when I told you!" she yells in tears then nearly runs out of the common room and out of the dungeons. She makes a break for the Gryffindor Common Rooms so she could talk to Caprice.

"Moon calf," Christi quickly says the current password to the Fat Lady, having got it from Caprice. She enters the red Common Room and sees Fred, George and Lee on one of the couches. She walks up to them and asks, "Where's Caprice?"

"She's in her dormitory, trying to sleep." Fred says. "It's the fourth dormitory, in case you don't know."

"Thank you." she sighs, shaking her self mentally. She runs up to Caprice's dormitory and knocks on the door.

"Come in." Caprice says quietly. Christi entered and saw Caprice writing in a small book. Caprice looks up and frowns at her shaken sister, "Hey you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost… Well, that's sort of normal, but you get it."

Even though Christi got on her nerves sometimes, Caprice still loved her younger sister and whenever she was upset she was worried about her. She watches as her sister just shrugs.

"Don't shrug answer me. You're up here for a reason."

"Draco and I had a huge fight and I just ran out of there…" she mutters, "He hates me now. I don't even know if we're still together or not. He just really hates me right now. And I'm pretty sure that I let it slip that I might be falling in love with him I don't know."

Caprice sighs and pats the bed next to her. Christi goes and sits and Caprice says, "You need to confront him and not run out. You two just need to fight it out until you can't fight anymore, and just let it all out."

"I know. I just didn't want to lose my temper and let the harpy side come out."

"Do you remember those meditation techniques that Father taught us from a young age?"

"Yes."

"Use them throughout the fight and just get it all out. You need to fight it out or you two will never have a stable relationship. Like Fred and I. We fought and had a mini break but now we're back together. It's normal to fight, trust me."

Christi nods and sighs. "I just don't want to fight with him. It really sucks."

"I know it does, kid but it's all part of being in relationship." Caprice says, hugging her sister. Christi hugs her back in tears.

She hated fighting with Draco. She didn't want them to fight but now they were fighting again and it royally sucked. She hated it the last time and now it was happening all over again. Both of the fights were her fault. First she overreacted when he was talking with Pansy and now it was over her hiding that she was part Veela from him.

Caprice rubs her back and holds her close to her. It bothered her when Christi cried.

After a few minutes Christi calms down then leaves to go and talk to Draco. She slowly walks down the hallway slowly thinking of what she was going to say to Draco when she got back down to the dungeons. Approaching the portrait of Salazar Slytherin she gives him the password then enters the common room, finding a few people there, including Crabbe and Goyle.

She goes over and asks them "Where's Draco?"

"In our dormitory." Crabbe answers, "He's sort of fuming. He's real angry."

Christi nods and goes up the stairs to his dormitory. She finds him sitting on the bed. HE looks up and opens his mouth, but before he can say anything, Christi interrupts him.

"Look, I'm really sorry for hiding it from you all this time but I was scared that you only really were attracted to me because I was half Veela and that was the only reason you were with me. I was scared that if I was true, I would lose you and I don't want that. I've liked you since second year when McGonagall paired us together in Transfiguration and you made our teacup the bunny and gave it to me. So I hid it to protect myself and my sister along with my emotions. I'm sorry for everything! I'm sorry." She says.

Draco frowns and begins, "You should've trusted me more! I would have never done something like that to you! What don't you get about that?"

"I was scared! I know I should have trusted you more but I… I don't know. I was stupid not to trust you and I'm sorry."

"Well you should have!"

"I know, Draco, I'm sorry! How many times do I have to say it?"

"An amount will not make up for it! You've really betrayed our trusting relationship-but I guess there never really was any trust."

"What the hell do you mean about that?"

"You didn't trust me enough to tell me you were a Veela, you didn't trust me to not cheat on your with Pansy, you didn't trust me enough to keep your secret, Christi!"

"I know, and I'm sorry! I'm so sorry that all of our fights have been my fault! I just… Okay, well it's not that I didn't trust you with Pansy, but I didn't trust Pansy with you."

He rolled his eyes, "And didn't you think about what I'd have done if she tried anything with me?"

"You two were obviously flirting." she said defensively, "I know, I'm a jealous person, but that's me!"

Draco softened slightly, "I love the jealousy in you. But I hate the distrust in you!"

"Draco, I was told by my mum and dad and sister, my grandparents, aunts and uncles and cousins, and every other member of my family to not tell anybody about me being a Veela. You are really no acception."

"Well you told me, so obviously I am."

She nodded, "_Now_ you are. Now that we're serious enough… See, here's the thing… I've been trying to figure out a way to tell you for months, Draco. I've asked my sister, I've asked Fleur Delacour, I've owled my cousins and asked them, but no one's given me any advice. I was close to asking my mum, but she would have said to not tell anyone."

"So you just didn't tell me? Ever?"

"I was trying to figure it out!" she wailed, "And trust me, it's been eating me up! I've felt so guilty, especially when you told me things about you, I know I wasn't telling you everything about me, but I've been wracked with guilt and it's been driving me insane, I swear! I've endured so much and I've had a constant headache because of all the remorse! Draco, I just… I didn't know how to tell you."

He sighed after a few minutes of silence, "Well I guess you've gotten enough punishment."

"So where does this leave us?" she asked

He smiled weakly at her, "I do love you."

She smiled brightly. That was the first time he'd said that. Christi said quietly, "I love you, too."

He walked over to her and took her in his arms, kissing her gently. "I'm sorry, I didn't hear that too well."

She giggled and said louder, "I love you, too, Draco."


	14. Chapter 14

"Hello, love." Draco greeted Christi one nice day at the end of June. It was only a week after school had gotten out and the two lovebirds already wanted to hang out together. They were completely over the fight they had and were beginning to reconnect.

"Hey, Draco." Christi sighed and went inside with him. They sat in the kitchen and were served lunch by two House Elves.

"How are you?" he asked.

She shrugged, "I'm fine, I guess. My parents want to take Caprice and me to Greece this summer to see our family there. We'd be leaving next week, staying for almost the entire break. Caprice really doesn't want to go."

"Why?"

"Because word's gotten out that Harry supposedly saw You-Know-Who come back, and everyone's calling him a liar. And since Caprice was in the tournament too, our family would be asking her all about it. She doesn't want that."

"I would have guessed it's just because she doesn't want to be away from Weasley for that long." Draco smirked. Christi giggled and shrugged.

"Could be." "How come your nanny can't watch you? Don't you guys have a nanny?"

Christi blushed, "We do, but we don't need her. But this summer she has to go back to her family in Wales. Her sister is ill."

"So you two can't just stay on your own?"

"Not for eight weeks."

Draco thought for a moment before saying, "Well why don't you two stay here?"

"I'm all for that, but my parents… Well, they don't really like you and your family." she said. He nodded, not offended. Christi continued, "But if it were up to me, I'd stay here." Draco smiled and kissed her cheek.

After they finished lunch, Christi said, "Let's go to my house. My mum and dad wanted me home by two and said it'd be alright if I brought you with."

They went to the fireplace and Flooed to the Venizelos household. As soon as they entered, they heard Caprice and her mother having a yelling match.

"Mother, I am not going to go to Greece and you can't make me! You're being completely unfair about this!"

"Capricia, you're my daughter and I say you're going! You can't skip out on visiting your family! For goodness sakes, I know your father's side drives us all completely nuts, but I'm going and that says something about my endurance!"

"Well of course you can endure them! They won't be asking constant questions about Harry bloody Potter!"

"They'll only do that until they've got enough information."

"Well I'm not gonna tell them any because I'm not going."

Her mother huffed, "Of course you won't tell them anything, you're so damn stubborn just like your father. Honestly, Caprice, you haven't even told us a damn thing about the Triwizard Tournament!"

"Because there's nothing to tell, but everyone thinks there is! I didn't witness much!"

"But you still witnessed something! And what about those nightmares you have? Don't tell us those are nothing. Even if it's not about the last task, it's something to do with the Triwizard Tournament!"

Caprice scowled even deeper at her mother, "I'm not having nightmares."

"Don't deny it."

"I'll deny it all I bloody want, Mother!"

Christi didn't notice their father walk in until he said very calmly, "Caprice, don't curse at your mother."

Their mother looked at Caprice smugly while Caprice sat down on the armchair across from the couch where Draco and Christi sat. "Hi, Christi." she said shortly before picking up a book.

"Christi, why'd you bring Draco?" their father asked, scowling.

"Because Mum said I could." she said.

He frowned at their mother who ignored him. "Kids, why don't you all go and sit on the porch and hang out there. Caprice, I'm going to do your laundry for you to pack."

"Don't bother because I'm not going." Caprice said stubbornly, and got up.

"Your mum and I will talk about it, Caprice." their father said quietly to her as she passed by, patting her on the back.

Caprice only briefly paused, but still walked stoically out the backyard door. Draco and Christi followed and sat on the porch swing while Caprice closed the door behind them and sat on a chair in the sun.

"Don't worry Caprice. Dad will probably persuade Mum to let you stay. He'll make me go, though." Christi told Caprice, who scoffed.

"If I'm not going, Mum will demand that her precious daughter is not going."

"What does she mean by that?" Draco murmured.

Christi sighed, "There's something you have to understand. Caprice acts more Greek than I do, and looks and acts more like our dad while I look and act much more like our Italian mum. Our dad favors Caprice because she's sort of like the Greek son he never got while our mum babies me because I'm like a traditional bread-and-pasta-making Italian woman."

"So you're the mother's girl and she's the father's girl?" Draco asked.

"I'm not a Daddy's Girl." Caprice interrupted, not looking up from her book, "My father likes to treat me tough. I am taught about business and sports and everything that you'd teach a boy. But he still treats me somewhat like a girl."

"He's very proud of her." Christi said, "She's everything he ever wanted, just in girl form."

Draco sighed and stared at Caprice briefly, before turning his thoughts away from the similarities of their relationship to his own with his father.

They stayed quiet for about half an hour before the parents called them in. Caprice sat on the sat next to Christi and Draco and raised her eyebrows. "Well?"

Their father sighed, "Your mother and I came to the conclusion that it would be better for you to stay behind, Caprice."

Caprice smiled contentedly. "Thank you." She said.

"But if you don't get to go, we don't think Christi should go either."

"Aww, but I kind of want to go." Christi said.

Their father shook his head, "No, your mother and I think you two should stay together."

"So we'll be here alone?" Caprice asked hopefully.

"Heavens no." their mother sighed, "You're old enough to stay on your own, but only for short periods of time. We'll be gone nearly the whole summer, and we just don't want anything to happen to you."

"So where are we gonna be staying?" Christi asked.

"We aren't sure yet. But we'll have somewhere by tomorrow."

"Can I stay with Draco?" Christi asked hopefully.

"No!" Her father was quick to reply. Christi looked to her mother, who shook her head solemnly.

"Who are you gonna ask?" Caprice asked.

"Maybe we'll ask the Weasley family. We've actually become good friends with them."

"But Caprice is dating Fred Weasley!" Christi cried, "I can't spend the summer with my boyfriend but she can with hers? That is so unfair!"

Their mother paused and thought for a moment, "Maybe we won't ask the Weasleys…"

XXX

That night, Caprice lay in her bed, looking at her bureau in the corner of the room. She was thinking about the last task again. She couldn't help but let her mind wander to it all the time. It haunted her constantly. It prevented her from sleeping. It prevented her from good dreams at night. It took over her mind when she was alone.

She always wondered what would have happened if those vines wouldn't have caught her. Would she have beat Harry to the cup? Would she have touched it, and gone to where the portkey led?

Would she have died?

What if she did go to the graveyard where Voldemort was? Would he have killed her? Surely, he would have… She would have died had she gotten to the cup.

However, now that Voldemort is back, if she had gotten to the cup first, she would have prevented his return. Voldemort wouldn't have gotten Harry's precious blood, and he wouldn't have come back. He would still be undercover.

If she'd gotten to the cup first, she would have died, but Voldemort wouldn't be at power again… Or coming back to power, that is.

What if they'd gotten to the cup at the same time?

Then Caprice still would have died… And Voldemort still would have come back to power. What a very imperfect, problematic outcome.

None of the outcomes she was thinking of were very ideal, but that was terrible. She was glad that didn't happen. Though, she wasn't happy with what did happen, or what could have happened either.

She then thought about Voldemort coming back. He would have come back eventually, right? He would have gotten Harry into his grips somehow, right? Or could it have been prevented forever? If Caprice had died, she wouldn't have known. But she didn't know what could have happened.

She didn't realize she was sleeping until she was woken up, very unceremoniously, by Christi's cat.

"Oof!" Caprice grunted as the cat jumped up and landed on her stomach. She sat up and shooed the cat away. She saw on her bedside table a letter waiting for her.

"Caprice, are you awake?" her mother called, "Your boyfriend sent a letter, I left it for you!"

"Thanks, Mother!" Caprice called down. She propped her pillows up and opened the letter carefully. She took out the piece of parchment and grinned when she saw Fred's handwriting on it.

She could always tell Fred and George apart by their writing. Fred's was messy cursive, while George's was messy print.

She read the letter quickly. It said,

_Dear Caprice,_

_I know it's only a week into the summer, but I miss you already. My family and I are staying in London for secret reasons. I hope to see you soon though. I'm not sure how we'll meet, but I'll get to you somehow… George is reading this and saying that I'm a priss. He says I sound like a girl and I think he's being a right git. But I miss you. I just wanted to write to you._

_On another note, I've got some news._

_We've got a lot of plans for the store. We have come up with the name Weasley's Wizard Wheezes and we've got tons of new products and pranks. We're looking for buildings in Diagon Alley to set up shop, but we definitely need your help with all the business stuff. We're good with the pranks, the products, the things that people will buy, but we need you for the actual business and money stuff._

_We actually have a proposition for you, for the next time we see you. I can't wait._

_Love,_

_Fred Weasley_

Caprice smiled and took the envelope. There were three photographs inside of it. She took them out and looked at the first one. She giggled.

It was a prank Fred had pulled on George. George was holding a telescope and sporting a black eye. She wasn't sure if he knew it was a trick or not, since he was grinning widely, but looked sort of shocked.

The second picture was that of a small, round ball of fluff. It was a shocking shade of pink and was bouncing around happily.

The third picture was first a box with the writing that said _Basic Blaze Box_. Next fireworks were taken out of it and lit up, to create a fantastic firework show. Caprice smiled at George and Fred, having fun lighting off fireworks.

She put the letters and photos aside and got out of bed. She headed to the shower as a first thing and thought about the letter. What could the proposition be? He said they needed her to take care of all the business stuff. Surely, it was tied to that.

Then she actually started thinking about the business stuff. They would need a building. She should start looking in the Daily Prophet for real estate. They would need a big shop, and she knew they talked about living above it. They'd also need a popular location, like Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley.

Money was no issue. Even after Fred and George bought Ron new robes, there was still a ton of money left from the winnings that Harry gave to them. There were a thousand galleons to begin with, and they'd used no more than a hundred to buy Ron clothes. Fred had sent a letter about it and how they bought Ron robes at the very beginning of summer, and how he was so ecstatic with the clothes.

She wondered how much they'd used for products and supplies. They used probably about thirty, or fifty at the most.

But how much would a shop in Diagon Alley cost? They'd want a townhouse or something… How much did townhouses cost in London? She knew this, her dad talked to her about real estate once.

In Diagon Alley, a shop would probably cost about four hundred thousand galleons… That's a lot of galleons. They still needed so much more to achieve their dream. Caprice would probably have to help out with her own money. Her parents were rich. They had trusts for her and Christi. Now that she was an adult, of age, seventeen years old, she could access hers.

She would have to find out how much there was.

She stepped out of the shower and dried off, then went to her room. She put on Muggle clothes. She just put on a yellow floral sundress and sandals. She felt prim and proper in it, so she let her black curly hair run wilder than she usually would have let it.

Christi walked in just as she was putting on her diamond and gold rosary. It had been very expensive. The cross was yellow cold studded with diamonds and the chain had balls made of pure yellow gold. They'd gotten it in Italy. Christi had gotten a crystal and jade necklace on that trip from the same jeweler. They both prized the gifts.

"Hey there, Capri," Christi greeted her sister happily.

"Hi," Caprice smiled, "What do you need?"

"Mum wants us downstairs. She found us babysitters."

Caprice scoffed at the term and followed her sister down to the kitchen. Her parents were sitting there, eating the breakfast that their maid had prepared—egg whites, whole grain toast and a little bit of sausage. Plates were there for Caprice and Christi too.

They sat in their usual seats and Caprice asked, "So, whose home will we be living at?"

Their mother started, "Well, we called everyone we could think of."

Her father interjected, "That means from the mail man to your professors at school."

Christi shuddered at the thought of staying with their professors. Their mother said, "We even called our colleagues and parents of friends at school."

"However, everyone has plans."

Caprice's heart dropped. She _so_ didn't want to go to Greece. "But," their mother said, "One family said yes. That was the Weasleys."

"Unfair!" Christi cried, "So unfair!"

"We trust the Weasleys. We've become good friends with them. Arthur and your father sometimes work together."

Christi raised her eyebrow suspiciously, "Dad is on the Wizengamot. Why would they work together?"

They ignored her question and their mother continued, "And in the past year, I've befriended Molly and we're good friends now. I really like her. And her twins are in Caprice's year—"

"We know that from how much she snogs Fred!" Christi said. Caprice elbowed her and she giggled.

"—and Ronald is in your year, Christi." Their mother said. Christi nodded, "And they've got other children who are still in school, who you acquaintance yourself with. Ginevra, Percy…"

"So we're staying at the Burrow with them?" Christi asked.

"Actually, they're staying in London this summer."

"Why?"

"They'll explain it when you get there, Christi." Their father said, "Anyways, you two will stay with them in London."

"And you will be perfect houseguests."

"You will be very helpful to Molly, you won't cause trouble with her, you won't disrespect her, you will be on your _best behavior_, do you hear?" their mother said sternly.

"Yes, Mother." They said.

Their father continued, "If Molly tells us anything but that, then you will have severe punishments."

"Yes, Father." They said.

Their parents looked please. "Good." Their mother said, "Now go start packing."


	15. Chapter 15

Christi groaned and lay back on her bed, counting the days up in her mind. She added up to four weeks. It had been four bloody weeks without Draco, and she was going crazy. She had tried to go to Malfoy Manor the last three weeks but Molly refused to let anyone go anywhere until Grimmauld Place was cleaned. She was also going insane since she couldn't use magic outside of school—and Caprice had pointed out that Christi got like this every summer.

She gets up and goes downstairs and goes over to Molly. "Mrs. Weasley?"

"What do you need, darling?"

"Would it be possible for me to go and see Draco today? We're nearly done and it's been a while since we saw each other. Please?" Christi asks.

Molly sighs and says, "I don't see why not."

Christi squeals and hugs Molly, "Thank you so much!"

After she goes over with Molly how long she'll be gone, she runs over to the fireplace. She grabs some Floo Powder and calling out her destination for the Malfoy Manor, throws the powder down. She was so excited.

Getting there, she smiles and looks at Narcissa, who was in the living room. Narcissa smiled at her and said, "Hello, Christi, dear. Draco's upstairs in his room."

"Thank you!" she calls and runs up there. She creaks the door open and sees him sound asleep on his king size bed. She smiles and walks over, then gently crawls into the bed next to him. She carefully snogs him to wake him up. Suddenly, she feels his arm encircle her waist and pull her close to him. She smiles and curls into his bare chest as she snogs him again softly waking him up.

"Morning," he mutters.

"Good morning Draco."

"How'd you get away?"

"I asked and told her we were nearly done with what she's having us do."

He smirks and shakes his head holding her close as Narcissa walks past. "If there is any shagging then you two better be using contraception spells!" she laughs, embarrassing the two teens.

Both of them go bright red. "Nothing is going on Mother!" Draco calls.

"We should get up and go out," Christi suggests.

"Too comfy," he shrugs, "And you know how lazy I can be."

"I know, but still. We can always go into London spend a few hours there."

He nods and quickly gets up and heads into his en-suite to get showered and changed.

After he finishes up they head into Muggle London, at Christi's request. She was somewhat acquainted with Muggle things, and intended to customize Draco to them as well, no matter how much his father disagreed. She knew where to go, so Draco let her lead them.

She took them to a quaint café and ate lunch there, then she took them to a movie theater. Draco pretended to dislike it, but Christi knew that he really enjoyed the movie that played, even if he didn't understand most of the Muggle things in there. She also knew that he liked the park they went to and had fun pushing her on the swings. He was having fun just because she was having fun.

They head back to the Manor, laughing and smiling. "Merlin, I've missed you these last three weeks," he says.

"I know, I have too," Christi grins. They hang out for one more hour or so before Christi sees the time. "I gotta go. Molly wants me back before six and it's a quarter till."

Draco sighs and nods holding her close for a moment long. "I'll owl you tomorrow."

She smiles and gives him a quick kiss before she heads over to their fireplace and Floos back the house. However as soon as she stepped out of the fireplace, Ron grabs her and drags her up the stairs. He takes her into his room, where Hermione, Ginny, Fred, George and Caprice are, simply hanging out.

"Ouch! Ron, what the hell did you do that for?" Christi growls, rubbing her arms where he grabbed her.

"We need to get Harry here and soon!" Ron exclaims, "Something weird is going on and none of us like it."

Christi nods, "Yeah, I agree. We need to figure out what's going on. Last thing I was able to get out of my dad was that something is going on with Harry. He wouldn't divulge what though. He might have told Caprice something," she glares at her older sister.

Caprice just shrugged, "When summer started, he took me into the backyard and interrogated me for a long time about what happened at the Third Task. I didn't tell him much because I honestly don't know what happened to Harry. All he's been saying to me is how Fudge is being a total prat and he doesn't know what he's doing."

"What else?" Fred asked.

"That something needs to be done, and something needs to be done now!" she mimicked their father's rough voice, "But he was saying he couldn't do anything useful and he wouldn't tell me what Fudge was—or wasn't—doing."

Christi sighed, "I don't know what's going on, but I have a really bad feeling that something is going to happen, something big."

"Like what?" ponders Hermione.

"I don't know, something big," Christi repeated.

After dinner, all of them head to bed as they all had a long day. Waking up after a good night's, sleep Christi wakes up and heads downstairs and finds Molly cooking breakfast.

"Good morning Mrs. Weasley, can I help you with anything?"

"Not at all, just go take a seat at the table." Molly said. Christi nods and pours herself a glass of orange juice and gulps it down quickly. "You sleep well last night, dear?"

"I slept fine. Are you sure that there isn't anything I can do?" Christi asked, feeling sort of useless doing nothing.

"Try and break your sister and Fred apart long enough to help out, if it's possible."

"No problem." Christi says with a grin. Molly sighs and shakes her head, smiling.

A while later, everyone else is just getting up and they all look and see Christi sitting at the table working on a summer Potions essay.

"Blimey Christi, you're just as bad as Hermione!" exclaims Ron, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"I was up early and needed something to do. I'm nearly done with all my summer homework. Oh, Caprice?" Christi looked to her sister.

"Hmm?" Caprice asked as she stretched, then took a muffin that Fred had just buttered up for himself. He looked at her in a sort of offended way, but she ignored him.

"You and I are going to work together today on the last of the cleaning since we have yet to work together."

"I'm working with Fred," Caprice deadpans, her eyes lacking emotion.

"Well now you're working with me!" she grins and gets up, grabs Caprice's wrist and drags her into one of the back rooms to get cleaning on it.

"Why am I being forced to do this? Chris, I'm still eating!" Caprice whined, resisting her pull, "Christi, if you don't let go of me right now, I swear on my life I will beat you up!"

Christi released her wrist and answered, "Because you're up Fred's arse all the time and we need to get some actual work done."

Caprice protested, "I am not... He's always bothering me while we're working. I do a good job!"

"Yeah, sure you do." Christi mutters, rolling her eyes.

They work in silence the whole time but quickly get their work done so that they could finally finish all the cleaning. They were getting sick and tired of cleaning every day. That day should have been the last and they were all excited and working fast.

They all work nearly to lunch before Molly hollers for them all to come to the kitchen. The twins Apparate down, scaring the life out of Molly, making her chastise them.

"Just think you might marry him!" Christi quietly teases her older sister.

"That..." Caprice took in a breath, "is too far into the future, my dear sister. I don't want to think of it right now."

Christi doesn't respond. All she could think about what the future with Draco. She wanted to grow up quick, and Caprice wanted to stay in the present. As if they weren't different enough already, without this.

"Oh, I found more cleaning for you lot to do! The drawing room is still awfully disgusting, and we haven't seemed to clean out a lot of things!" Molly calls from the kitchen, making all of them groan. "Quiet your moaning and groaning and grow up! The cleaning must be done, unless you all want to live in filth!" she chastises them all from the kitchen.

"Personally, I would be entirely fine with that," George commented, sitting on Caprice's left side while Fred was on her right.

"Everyone, take your lunch up to your rooms. We have some business to do here," Arthur tells them as he walks in, along with Bill Weasley, Mundungus Fletcher, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks behind him.

The kids grumble briefly before taking all their lunches up into Fred and George's room. "Oh, c'mon, why do you all come in here?" Caprice wonders at the younger teens, "We have shit to do!"

They ignore her, much to her own further annoyance, and quickly strike up conversations among themselves. It's not until Ron asks, "So who do you think is going to be our new Defense professor?" do they all start to talk together as one.

"Dad says someone from the Ministry is gonna take over the position," Caprice pointed out, "I don't like that idea, I think it could be the worst one that Fudge has had yet. I'm never voting for him again." Everybody looks at her with blank expressions, and she sighs, "It was a joke, people. It's not like we actually have a democracy here."

"Knowing with what happened last year, Fudge was probably right in making a Ministry Official take over. I have a mild list in my head, actually," explains Christi.

"Rubbish," Fred said, "Ministry Officials are never the way to go."

"Ever," George agrees.

"They cause too much trouble," Fred said.

George continued, "Ruin the fun you like to have."

Christi gazed at Caprice, "They always do this, huh?"

Caprice blinked, "Do what?"

"Who do you lot think was the best professor we've had?"George asks.

"Lupin!" all occupants of the room immediately said.

Caprice started excitedly, but wasn't done chewing her food so she banged on the wall for a moment to keep the attention, then exclaimed, "I bet he knows!"

"Who knows?" Fred asked.

"Knows what?" George said unanimously.

"I bet that he does, Caprice," Hermione agreed.

"Who knows?" Fred repeated.

"Knows what?" George repeated as well, also at the same time.

"Knows about the Defense professor!" Hermione explained, "I bet her can tell us who it's gonna be. I also bet that he knows the situation with Harry."

"It wouldn't surprise me," Christi said, "He's all involved."

"We should ask him," Hermione said, "When we go back down, we should—"

"Kids, you can come down now!" Molly hollered just at the right time.

They talked about it as they walked with their empty plates downstairs. Hermione was the one talking though, "I mean, they keep having meetings, Lupin, Tonks, Sirius, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and Bill, along with Moody and Kingsley and all the others that have come and gone. They must know something, especially Lupin."

"Did I hear my name?" Remus asks as they walk into the kitchen. Only a few people were still sitting around the kitchen table, talking in hushed tones. Their whispers stopped as soon as the children entered the room.

"Lupin!" they all exclaim. Some of them like Christi and Hermione run over to hug him. He laughs and hugs all of them happy to see all of his past students so excited to see him.

"How's Harry doing?" Christi asks.

"As far as I know he's alright," Lupin says, "But honestly, I can't get much information on him."

"When are we going to be able to go and get Harry from the Dursley's house?"questions Hermione.

"As soon as Dumbledore tells us we can. Until then, we need to sit back and wait," he explains to the group of kids.

All of them sigh and nod. They were all worried about Harry ever since the end of the Tournament. They had all seen the dead look in his eyes. They knew what was in his head and dream was probably torturing him. They were all just hoping that he was somewhat okay. They hoped that he wasn't doing too bad, and that his family was treating him somewhat decently. They especially hoped they could get him back to where his real home was as soon as possible.


	16. Chapter 16

Mrs. Weasley's disapproval was everywhere. Some was mild, some was strong. But most of the time, every time she looked at her twin sons, or Caprice, she had a look of anger or disappointment or just plain disapproval in her eyes.

They had grown to ignore the glares though. Her glaring wasn't uncommon, but after several weeks of the three seventeen-year-olds being on the receiving end of the classic Molly Weasley frown, they just glanced with minimal interest and moved on quickly. They didn't pause to linger. They honestly had stopped caring.

Most of the time.

"My mum hates me!" Fred groaned one night. He and Caprice were sitting on the couch together, Caprice in his lap and his chin resting on her shoulder, right after dinner. No one was in yet, since they were all eating dessert while Caprice and Fred skipped it.

"No, Fred, your mum hates _me_."

Fred rolled his eyes, "She could never hate you."

"She does. I bet she thinks I'm stealing you… I feel awful."

"Stealing me?"

"Like… I'm taking her precious son away. It happens all the time with a mother and her son's partners. My dad's mum still hates my own. She never stopped even after twenty years of knowing my mum."

"Well my mum disapproves of me and you. Clearly."

Caprice pointed out, "When has your mum approved of anything you do?"

He shrugged, "Once the business gets going, I suppose she'll be pretty proud."

"Well you'll be successful then. You'll have money and a big business and even though the business is in pranking merchandise, I'm sure she'll be happy for you."

He grinned, "It's partly thanks to you, Capri."

Caprice blushed, "I didn't do much."

"Please, you're handling _so _much of what George and I could never…"

"Just the money."

Fred sighed, "And in case you hadn't noticed, the money is a pretty big part of a joke shop business. Or any business. We get paid in money. And you're handling loads more than that, like real-estate, and you're helping with the products."

"You guys are doing most of the products," she argued, "I don't help that much."

"But since you got great grades in potions, you're helping just by telling us what's gonna happen with a batch of ingredients even before we've brewed it."

"But then you guys still didn't listen when I told you that you shouldn't mix porcupine quills and boomslang skins together in that potion you made to cure acne."

Fred rubbed his cheek where it had broken out in boils for three days until Caprice could fix it. He and George had both hidden in their rooms until the gigantic red boils were gone. Although it didn't dissuade much suspicion from Mrs. Weasley, going out with boils on their faces would have caused much more suspicion in the first place.

"Well that was George insisting we try it, since he thought it had to work with the boomslang skins."

"Obviously it did not. He should learn to listen to me more, don't you think?"

Fred smiled into her shoulder, "Absolutely, love."

"I'm sure that if he did, things would turn out in his favor much more often."

"He won't take advice from anyone."

"Neither will you, really."

Fred just laughed, "I'm sure you're more stubborn than me."

Caprice didn't respond. She did, however, move away from his lap as soon as Lupin, Tonks and Sirius entered the room, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley following closely and Ron, Hermione, Christi, Ginny and George coming right after.

"How come you two didn't want dessert?" Mrs. Weasley asked Caprice and Fred with an intense, viciously interrogating glare.

"I was just a little stuffed from the stew, Mrs. Weasley. The dinner was excellent." Caprice answered simply.

"You missed out, Caprice," Christi told her sister, "The bread pudding was great!"

George nodded to his twin, "Yeah, Fred. Mum said the berries were picked fresh yesterday."

Mrs. Weasley nodded, "Kingsley was so kind to bring them when he stopped by. Speaking of which, he's going to come by again tonight with the rest of the group. Only time anyone was available for another meeting was late tonight."

Mr. Weasley nodded, "Right… I'm sure Kingsley will also want some of that bread pudding, too. Caprice, Fred, there is some left in case you want some later on. I'll be sure to save some for you both."

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley," Caprice smiled nicely, "You are too kind."

"Yeah, thanks, Mum," Fred smiled at his mother.

"So who are all the people coming over all the time, Mum?" Ron asked.

Despite the entire Order of the Phoenix being over at Grimmauld Place for meetings rather often, the kids had never properly met any of them. They barely knew any of their names. They didn't even know why they were there, or anything about the Order. They had asked more than once but never got answers, and the adults weren't planning on telling any of them.

Mrs. Weasley didn't directly answer Ron's question. In fact, she stayed silent until Ginny asked if they could at least meet them. "I suppose if you want to meet them, I'll introduce you to everyone tonight. They'll be over any moment."

"What do they come over for, anyways?" Hermione questioned.

Mrs. Weasley and Mr. Weasley looked at each other, and at Sirius, Tonks and Lupin, shiftily. "Well," Mr. Weasley sighed, "We can't exactly tell you."

"I don't see what the big deal would be with informing them of what's going on," Sirius commented, "I mean, we don't have to tell them everything. We don't even have to tell them the purpose of what we're doing or anything, just what the Order is."

"The Order?" Hermione asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well now that Sirius has let the cat out of the bag…" Mrs. Weasley grumbled, "You may as well tell them what the Order is."

She got up promptly and went to the kitchen in a huff. Mr. Weasley sighed and said, "Kids, we are the Order of the Phoenix."

"And what is that?" Christi asked when he didn't continue.

Lupin answered her, "The Order of the Phoenix is an organization set up by Dumbledore dedicated to fighting Dark forces. We aren't official to the Ministry and we're very undercover, so you can't tell anyone."

"You guys are fighting You-Know-Who?" Ron asked, "_How_?"

"We can't tell you that," his father answered, "We're not exactly fighting, but we're doing very important things. We can't tell you what, though."

"Dumbledore set it all up?" Hermione inquired. The three men reluctantly nodded.

Sirius said, "There was an old Order back in the seventies, but it split apart when Voldemort fell. We're back now, anyways, but that's all we can tell you."

"And kids, we'd appreciate it if you kept it to yourselves and didn't tell anyone that you write letters to, that you go to school with… You can't tell anyone at all," Lupin said.

"Don't even tell Harry if he comes," Mr. Weasley said, "We'll tell him ourselves in our own way."

"We won't tell anyone," Ron nodded, and everyone else promised as well.

Caprice interjected, "I want to be part of it."

Everyone looked at her, and Mr. Weasley said after some hesitation, "No… You can't be."

"I'm almost eighteen, Mr. Weasley," she pointed out, "I'm above legal age to do what I want. I want to join the Order and help!"

"Caprice, you're still in school," Lupin said, "You need to stay in school and—"

"Mr. Lupin, with all due respect, I _needn't_ really do anything. But it's my choice to finish school; it's my choice to join the Order. And I want to join."

"Caprice, would you give up school for this?"

"Of course!"

He shook his head, "We won't let you in. You need to finish school. We understand that you're almost eighteen, you're over seventeen—"

"—and this goes for you boys, too," Mr. Weasley looked pointedly at Fred and George before he let Lupin continue.

"You all after over seventeen, but you're still in school. You must get a good education so that you can do what you want in the future."

"We already have a plan, Lupin," George said, "and we don't need to finish school for it."

Mr. Weasley sighed, "I understand, boys, that you have the entire joke shop planned out and everything, but if it fails, you'll need a proper education to get another job. You can't just depend on pranks to get you through life. And Caprice can't either, she—"

"She's involved in everything, too, Dad," George said, "The three of us are set."

"Once again, no," Mr. Weasley said, "The three of you will finish school. I have no control over you Caprice but I know for a fact you parents will force you to finish school. And Fred, George, I have plenty of power over what you both do. And you _will_ finish school."

"At least talk to the rest of the Order about it, Mr. Weasley, Lupin, Sirius," Caprice said, "I should be allowed."

"You can join next June once you get out of school, Caprice," Lupin said firmly, "And that's that."

All three of the grown men left the room, leaving Caprice scowling. "You know, if I can't join, I should at least be able to know exactly what they're doing."

"You know they won't tell us until Harry gets here. Even then they might not tell us anything," Hermione pointed out, "Whatever it is it must be really big and secretive. Very important. I'm not getting my hopes up on any of us finding anything out."

Ron said, "I hate being a kid sometimes, you know?"

Fred told him, "Don't worry about it, mate. Soon enough you'll find yourself in your seventh year and you'll be wondering what the hell you're going to do after you finish Hogwarts, what you'll do with the NEWTS you have, what's gonna happen to you…"

Christi asked, "I thought you guys had that all figured out."

"We do," Fred nodded.

"But we know people who don't," George said.

Christi asked her sister, "Do you have it all figured out?"

Caprice glanced at Fred and George, "Yeah, for the most part."

"And I'm sure it doesn't really conform to what Mum and Dad want from you."

Caprice shook her head and laughed, "Probably not."

Christi was about to respond, but they heard somebody entering the house. They all heard them go into the kitchen and start talking, and Molly called them in there.

"So now you all can meet the Order," she said with a slight frown, "So this is Kingsley Shacklebolt, Alastor Moody, my son Bill, then there's the other members of the Advance Guard, Dedalus Diggle, Elphias Doge, Hestia Jones, Emmeline Vance and Sturgis Podmore, and lastly is Mundungus Fletcher. We can't tell you what any of them exactly do, but since you've been asking to meet them, there they are. And everyone, you know my three sons and daughter, and then there's Hermione Granger, Ron's friend, and Christi and Caprice Venizelos."

"Venizelos," the one named Mundungus Fletcher said, eyeing them, "Your father has screwed me over numerous times."

"I have trouble believing that," Christi said lowly as he shook their hands.

"Mundungus Fletcher, but call me Dung."

Mrs. Weasley said, "The kids were just poking around a bit, asking questions."

"That's been handled, though," Mr. Weasley said quickly, "Kids, go upstairs, we're going to start the meeting. And no, none of you can sit in."

He looked pointedly at Caprice and the twins when he said this. Caprice sighed in an exasperated way and left the room quickly. When they all got upstairs, she said, "So who died and made them my parents?"

"Well I don't think Mum and Dad would appreciate you knowing all this stuff about the Order, whatever it is." Christi said. Caprice shook her head.

"Who gives a damn? I'm still seventeen, I should be allowed… Whatever," she looked at Fred and George, "C'mon, we've got business to do."

"I hope you know that we all realize most of what you're doing in your rooms, right?" Ron called out.

"Yeah, right!" Fred laughed.

George followed with, "You probably don't know the half of it. We're gonna be famous, Ronnikins! Rich!"

"We'll be billionaires when we get through!" Fred said, "And we'll be admired all around the UK!"

"Good luck with that," Ron scoffed, "You'll need it!"


End file.
